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1949 Map of Anderson Mesa

Name: 1949 Topographic Map of Anderson Mesa
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1955
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1955

About this map

The Dolores River carves a dramatic serpentine path through the Colorado plateau on this 1949 survey, defining a landscape of high mesas and deep canyons. Prominent geological features like Muleshoe Bend and Anderson Mesa dominate the topography, while the Little Gypsum Valley cuts through the southern portion of the quadrangle. This era was marked by significant geological exploration, indicated by the involvement of the United States Atomic Energy Commission in the mapping process.

Industrial activity is centered on several extraction points, including the Morning Star Mine, The Raven Mine, and the Gyp Mine. These remote sites are connected by a network of unimproved trails and tracks that navigate the complex terrain. Water sources such as Skein Spring Reservoir and East Island Mesa Spring provided essential resources for the mining operations and local transit in this arid environment near the border of Montrose and San Miguel counties.