1957 Map of Contact

About this map

Contact sits at the edge of the Bad Lands in northeastern Elko County, serving as a focal point for ranching and mining operations in the late 1950s. The settlement is anchored by the Contact School and surrounded by numerous signs of industrial activity, including shafts and tunnels at the Marshall Mine. This landscape is defined by the canyon-cut terrain of Bonanza Canyon and Blue Jay Gulch, where the headwaters of the North Fork Salmon Falls Creek and Cottonwood Creek drain toward the north. High-elevation ranching is evident at Browns Bench Ranch and Twin Meadows Ranch, which rely on the numerous scattered springs found throughout the Humboldt National Forest and surrounding ridges. The prevalence of Jeep Trails underscores the isolated nature of the mining and grazing claims established across landmarks like L & D Mtn and Bear Mtn.