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1966 Map of Big Spring Butte

Name: 1966 Topographic Map of Big Spring Butte
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1977
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1977

About this map

The high desert landscape of the Charles Sheldon Antelope Range defines this remote stretch of the Nevada-Oregon border. In the mid-1960s, this area was characterized by wide plateaus like Big Spring Table and Gooch Table, where water sources were critical for both wildlife and sparse human activity. Named features such as McKenney Camp and Gooch Camp suggest the seasonal rhythms of ranching or wildlife management, while Virgin Valley Ranch sits near the heart of the Virgin Valley.

Resource extraction and water management are evident in the presence of the Virgin Mine and the Rainbow Ridge Mine, as well as numerous unnamed prospects. The hydrological network relies on scattered points like Big Spring Res, Hazeltine Lake, and a series of numbered ponds including Duffurrena Pond No 19. This survey documents a land of expansive horizons where travel was largely confined to a network of Jeep Trails.