1952 Map of Anvil Points

About this map

The Naval Oil Shale Reserve dominates this mid-century topographical study of the Colorado highlands, capturing a critical era of federal energy research. The landscape is defined by the massive escarpments of the Roan Plateau, where the specialized infrastructure of the Bureau of Mines Oil Shale Experiment Station and its associated Tank Farm sit below the towering Anvil Points. Industrial activity is centered on the Anvil Points Oil Shale Mines, while the Rulison Oil Shale Mine (Inactive) appears further west near Cottonwood Point.