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1952 Map of Ely

Name: 1952 Topographic Map of Ely
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1954
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1954

About this map

Industrial activity and high-desert geography define this mid-century portrait of White Pine County, centered on the mining and smelting corridor between Ely and McGill. The Nevada Northern RR serves as the region's backbone, linking the massive Copper Smelter at McGill with the extraction sites to the west. Around Ruth, the landscape is heavily modified by subterranean and surface works, including the Saxton Pit, Columbia Shaft, and the Ely-Centennial Tunnel. This era represents the peak of copper production before the shift to modern large-scale open pits.

Contrasting this heavy industry, the Schell Creek Range dominates the eastern half of the map, rising to North Schell Peak. Within the Nevada National Forest, features like the Berry Creek Ranger Sta and the Charcoal Ovens near Willow Creek reflect a history of timber and fuel harvesting for the local mines. Between these ranges lies the Steptoe Creek valley, providing a vital transit route marked by Nevada 93 and early aviation markers like the Airway Beacon.