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1952 Map of Bingham Canyon

Name: 1952 Topographic Map of Bingham Canyon
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1971
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1971

About this map

The Oquirrh Mountains dominate this industrial and geological landscape, defined by the massive operations of the Copper Pit Mine. This survey captures the intensive extraction efforts in the mid-20th century, where the mountainside is transformed by a network of tunnels including the Bingham West Dip Tunnel, Apex Tunnel, and Highland Tunnel. The infrastructure of the era is evident in the heavy rail presence of the Bingham and Garfield and the Denver and Rio Grande Western railroads, which served the massive Smelter and associated Waste Dump facilities.

Away from the industrial core, the map tracks the transition from the rugged heights of Nelson Peak down to the Tooele Valley. Local life is anchored by the settlements of International and Bates, while the complex drainage system of canyons like Barneys Canyon, Pine Canyon, and Dry Fork carves through the terrain. The presence of a Television Tower on a high ridge alongside traditional mining landmarks like the Apex Shaft illustrates the mid-century intersection of modern telecommunications and legacy industry.