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1951 Map of Illipah

Name: 1951 Topographic Map of Illipah
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1952
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1952

About this map

Hamilton (Historic Ruins) sits in the southwestern corner of this survey, marking the site of a once-thriving mining center at the base of the Mokomoke Mountains. The landscape is dominated by the north-south orientations of the Butte Mountains, Pancake Range, and Moorman Ridge, creating a series of high-altitude corridors utilized by early transportation routes. The Lincoln Highway cuts across the central terrain, passing through Little Antelope Summit and by Illipah (Moorman Ranch), a vital stop for travelers in this arid region.

Water is the defining factor for settlement and livestock here, as evidenced by the numerous named springs such as Robbers Roost No 3 Spring, Sammy Springs, and Prune Springs. The drainage of Illipah Creek and Ellison Creek provides rare moisture in a geography where landmarks like Jakes Pond and Cottonwood Pond stand out against the high-desert basins. This map preserves the transition from the silver-mining era of the 19th century to the mid-20th-century ranching and highway economy.