1949 Map of Joe Davis Hill

About this map

Mining operations and narrow canyon watercourses define this post-war landscape along the border of San Miguel and Dolores counties. The Dolores River cuts a deep, winding path through the center of the sheet, flanked by the high plateau of Joe Davis Hill and the complex terrain of the Uncompahgre National Forest. This 1949 field survey, produced in cooperation with the United States Atomic Energy Commission, documents a specific era of mineral exploration in the Colorado plateau. Several named workings, including the Norma Jean Mine, Sarah Ellen Mine, and Uncle Sam Mine, are clustered near the Spud Patch Camp, suggesting a concentrated period of activity in the canyons. To the east, the landscape opens into Disappointment Valley, where Disappointment Creek flows near the edge of the San Juan National Forest. Water management for local use is evident in features like Wilson Reservoir and the Sand Rock Reservoir tucked into the drainages.