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1945 Map of Inspiration

Name: 1945 Topographic Map of Inspiration
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1971
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1971

About this map

Industrial copper extraction dominates this 1945 landscape, centered on the sprawling operations of the Castle Dome Mine and the community of Inspiration. The map details a complex network of tunnels and shafts, including the Scanlon Tunnel, Bonanza Tunnel, and the Inspiration Main Shafts near the Leaching Plant. To the southeast, the town of Miami serves as a hub for the Southern Pacific railroad, which skirts the southern edge of the mining district.

Beyond the industrial pits, the terrain rises into the Tonto National Forest, where isolated outposts like Horrel Ranch, Williams Dairy, and Dixon Camp dot the landscape. Dozens of named springs, such as Vigor of Life Spr and Prince Charming Spr, provide water sources across Granite Basin and Ruin Basin. The contrast between the massive earth-moving at the Castle Dome Concentrator and the surrounding unpopulated peaks like Webster Mtn illustrates the area's mid-century economic focus.