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1982 Map of Garden Spring Canyon

Name: 1982 Topographic Map of Garden Spring Canyon
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1982
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1982

About this map

Mining operations and remote ranching outposts define this high-desert landscape in Socorro County during the early 1980s. The northern reaches of the White Sands Missile Range dominate the southern half of the sheet, where the Oscura Mountains rise toward North Oscura Peak. The presence of several named mineral interests, including the Royal Flush Mine, Desert Rose Mine, and Mex Tex Mine in the northwest, suggests a history of extraction concentrated within the rugged drainages of Bruton Canyon.

Survival in this arid environment is mapped through a dense network of water features, from natural sources like Garden Spring and Council Spring to man-made infrastructure such as Baca Well and Adobe Ranch. These sites, along with the White Store, served as the primary nodes of activity for those working the land or traversing the difficult terrain between the peaks and canyons. The mapping of numerous tanks and wells reveals the critical importance of water management for sustaining livestock and industry in this isolated section of New Mexico.