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1953 Map of Bristol Range SE

Name: 1953 Topographic Map of Bristol Range SE
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1971
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1971

About this map

Mining operations dominate the slopes of the Bristol Range in this mid-century survey of Lincoln County. The landscape is a network of industrial excavations, including the prominent Bristol Silver Mines and Jackrabbit Mines. Prospectors and historians can trace the subterranean reach of these workings through labels like the Jackrabbit Tunnel, Tempest Shaft, and Snyder Shaft, alongside localized sites like the Chinaman Diggings. This concentration of extraction supported local infrastructure, evidenced by the presence of the Bristol School on the western flank of the mountains.

Evidence of the region's transport history is visible in the Old Railroad Grade cutting across the valley floor toward Lake Valley. To the east, the terrain levels out into the basin around Patterson Wash, where water sources like Fifteenmile Well and Jackrabbit Well were critical for livestock and mining operations alike. The map also includes the Pioche Municipal Airport, marking the transition to more modern transit as the area's mineral-driven economy evolved.