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1959 Map of Douglas

Name: 1959 Topographic Map of Douglas
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1971
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1971

About this map

Mining operations and border trade anchor this high-desert landscape in the late 1950s. The sprawling Sulphur Springs Valley separates the Mule Mountains from the towering Chiricahua Mountains, where the Chiricahua National Monument preserves a labyrinth of rock formations. In the west, the concentrated urban cluster of Bisbee, Lowell, Warren, and Don Luis reflects the region's intense mineral heritage, while to the south, Douglas and Pirtleville sit directly against the United States Mexico border.

Transportation networks are defined by the Southern Pacific railroad and major highways, including route 80, connecting remote outposts like Pearce, Courtland, and Gleeson. Further east, the map captures the transition into New Mexico's Animas Valley and the dry expanse of Playas Lake. This survey provides a comprehensive view of the high-altitude ranching and mining infrastructure before the expansion of modern irrigation and logistics in the desert Southwest.