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1950 Map of Horse Range Mesa

Name: 1950 Topographic Map of Horse Range Mesa
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1950
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1950

About this map

The United States Atomic Energy Commission appears prominently in the margin of this survey, reflecting the era's focus on radioactive minerals. The terrain is dominated by the deeply incised canyons of the Dolores River, where specialized mining operations for radium and uranium dot the landscape. A significant concentration of industrial activity is clustered near Slick Rock, featuring the Veta Mad Mine, Middle Group Mines, and the Upper Group Mines.

Further south, the landscape rises toward Horse Range Mesa and Summit Point, where several specific shafts including the Radium No 2 Mine and the Radium No 5 Mine are located. The transportation network is sparse, centered on the Slick Rock Bridge and a Water Tower, indicating a landscape primarily organized around resource extraction rather than settlement. Multiple canyons such as McIntyre Canyon and Summit Canyon define the drainage patterns of this San Miguel County landscape.