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1957 Map of Bluewater

Name: 1957 Topographic Map of Bluewater
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1981
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1981

About this map

Haystack Mountain and Mesa Montañosa dominate the northern skyline of this high-desert landscape, where volcanic history is written across the earth. A massive expanse of Lava known as The Malpais flows through the center of the quadrangle, punctuated by the cinder cone of El Tintero. This geological terrain dictates the human geography, forcing settlement and industry to the southwest along the corridor of the San Jose Rio.

Industrial development is centered on the Anaconda Bluewater Mill, a prominent feature of the late 1950s economy alongside the Tailings Pond and nearby Airport. The small community of Bluewater sits near the rail line, supported by an irrigation system including the Main Ditch and Middle DITCH. Traces of earlier transport are visible in the Old Railroad Grade, while modern utility is represented by the Pipeline crossing the lava beds.