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1969 Map of Kirkland

Name: 1969 Topographic Map of Kirkland
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1972
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1972

About this map

Skull Valley and the surrounding high desert of Yavapai County are captured here during a period of established ranching and railroad activity. The Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroad serves as the primary artery through the valley, passing near the Skull Valley Ranch School and the settlement of Kirkland. The landscape is defined by the drainage of Skull Valley Wash and Copper Basin Wash, which supported a network of named water sources and windmills essential for livestock.

Evidence of the area's pastoral and industrial life is found in features like the Homestead Windmill, Texas Windmill, and several corrals, alongside a scattered Quarry and Prospect. To the west, the terrain rises sharply toward Kirkland Peak and Moonville, where numerous pack trails and jeep trails crisscross the ridges, showing how the local population navigated the complex topography between the basins.