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1987 Map of Crescent Valley

Name: 1987 Topographic Map of Crescent Valley
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1988
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1988

About this map

Crescent Valley and the surrounding high desert basins of central Nevada are captured here as they appeared in the late 1980s. The landscape is defined by the massive north-south mountain blocks of the Shoshone Range, the Cortez Mountains, and the Pinyon Range, which separate vast valleys like Grass Valley and Pine Valley. This era reflects a period of significant mineral extraction, evidenced by various Open Pit Mines and gravel operations scattered across the slopes.

Evidence of early 20th-century transportation remains visible through the Old Railroad Grade and the active Southern Pacific line traversing the northern edge. Small, isolated outposts such as Tenabo, Cortez, and Alpha anchor the map, serving as reminders of the region's mining and ranching heritage. From the high summit of Mount Lewis to the seasonal waters of Carico Lake, the survey documents a classic Basin and Range environment where water sources like Horse Creek and Pine Creek dictate the placement of human activity.