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1938 Map of Cortez

Name: 1938 Topographic Map of Cortez
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1970
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1970

About this map

Cortez Mine and the adjacent settlement of Cortez anchor the eastern slopes of the Cortez Mountains, revealing a landscape defined by Great Basin mining and ranching interests in the late 1930s. The map traces the divide between Crescent Valley and Grass Valley, where high-altitude resource extraction meets the valley floor's pastoral operations. Evidence of a localized community is found at the Mill Canyon Sch, serving the families tied to the nearby Mill Canyon Mine and Turquoise Mine.

Remote outposts such as Francis Cabin and the Rock House are scattered across the high terrain, while established agricultural sites like Caetano Ranch, Horse Ranch, and Kanes Ranch utilize the vital water sources of Wilson Springs and Dugout Spring. The prominence of Mt Tenabo overlooks a network of canyons, including Fourmile Canyon and Copper Canyon, which provided the geography for the era's transport and prospecting routes.