1966 Map of Big Spring Butte

About this map

The Charles Sheldon Antelope Range dominates this mid-1960s landscape along the remote Nevada-Oregon border, centered in the high desert of Humboldt County. The map documents a land defined by specialized desert infrastructure and resource extraction, including the Virgin Mine and the Rainbow Ridge Mine in the south, alongside numerous unnamed Prospect sites. Water management is critical in this arid environment, evidenced by the presence of Big Spring Res, several Flowing Wells, and Jacobs Waterhole. Human presence is concentrated at seasonal or operational hubs like McKenney Camp and Gooch Camp, while the Virgin Valley Campground and its nearby Landing Strip indicate the area's role in wildlife management and recreation. The geography transitions from the flat expanses of Big Spring Table and Gooch Table down into the complex drainage of Virgin Canyon.