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1969 Map of Elgin SW

Name: 1969 Topographic Map of Elgin SW
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1973
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1973

About this map

The Delamar Mountains dominate this high-desert landscape in Lincoln County, where water sources dictated the patterns of human movement and settlement during the late 1960s. Vital springs are scattered throughout the drainages, including Sawmill Spring, Narrow Spring, and the paired Upper Riggs Spring and Lower Riggs Spring. These water points support cattle ranching infrastructure such as the Corral and a Water Tank, which were essential for the open-range economy of the era.

A network of primitive routes, including a Jeep Trail, connects these vital resources across the basin. In the south, near Kane Springs Valley, evidence of resource exploration is visible at several Prospects located near the Kane Springs Wash. These sites reflect the ongoing search for mineral wealth in the arid canyons, while features like Boulder Canyon and Boulder Spring highlight the topographic complexity that shaped regional travel before more modern infrastructure arrived.