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1952 Map of Carlin

Name: 1952 Topographic Map of Carlin
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1954
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1954

About this map

The Humboldt River corridor serves as the primary artery for transportation and settlement in this portion of the Great Basin, where the tracks of the Southern Pacific and Western Pacific railroads parallel the water's path. The town of Carlin is the central hub of activity, featuring industrial infrastructure like a Water Tank and Sewage Disposal facility. To the southwest, the steep topography of the Cortez Mountains overlooks the narrow passage at Palisade, a site marked by tunnels and a cemetery.

Tracing the historical movement across the desert, the map identifies the California Trail route as it skirts the northern hills. Agricultural life is anchored by family-held properties such as the Tomera Ranch, Raine Ranch, and Thomas Place, while the high country of the southern ranges shows evidence of mineral extraction at the Gray Eagle Mine and various unnamed Mines and Prospects. The transition from the rugged peaks of Pine Mtn down into the broad floor of Pine Valley illustrates the classic basin and range structure that defined the region's cattle and mining economy in the early 1950s.