1954 Map of La Sal

About this map

High peaks and uranium claims define this mid-century survey of the Utah-Colorado borderlands. The landscape is dominated by the massive summits of the Manti-La Sal National Forest, including Mt Mellenthin and Mt Peale. While the western slopes center on the settlement of La Sal and the La Sal Guard Sta, the eastern portion reveals an intensive period of mineral exploration. A dense cluster of claims including the Vanadium Queen Mine, Uranium Girl Mine, and Grey Dawn Mine highlights the Cold War era's atomic industry. Transitioning from the high alpine of Dark Canyon to the peculiar geology of the Sinbad Valley, the map details a network of jeep trails and ditches necessary for ranching at Pine Lodge Ranch and Old La Sal. This record captures the precise moment when traditional high-country grazing met the industrial surge of the 1950s mining boom.