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1951 Map of Big Burro Mountains

Name: 1951 Topographic Map of Big Burro Mountains
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1951
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1951

About this map

The Continental Divide cuts a diagonal path through this landscape, marking the high crest of the Big Burro Mountains within the Gila National Forest. This 1951 record identifies a significant mining history, though many operations like the Austin Amazon Mines and Red Hill Turquoise Mine are noted as inactive by the time of the mid-century field check. The concentration of workings, including the Merry Widow Shaft and Spar Hill Mine, suggests a previous era of intense extraction for turquoise, copper, and other minerals in the hills surrounding Burro Peak.

Scattered across the drainage systems of Whitetail Canyon and Gold Gulch are the vestiges of ranching life, from the Burro Mountain Homestead to established outfits like the McCauley Ranch and Walking X Ranch. These sites are linked by rugged tracks and improved dirt roads leading toward White Signal and Silver City, illustrating the transition from a mineral-driven economy to a more permanent pastoral presence in Grant County.