1969 Map of Mounds

About this map

Mounds sits at the intersection of heavy rail and critical water infrastructure along the border of Carbon and Emery Counties in the late 1960s. The Denver and Rio Grande Western railroad tracks dominate the central landscape, passing through Verde and providing a transportation spine for the region. The map highlights a transition from industrial activity to varied terrain, evidenced by the scattered oil wells of the Grassy Trail and Gas Field in the northeast and the distinctive Balanced Rock to the southwest. Water management is a defining characteristic of this arid environment, with numerous man-made features such as Spider Reservoir, Goodwater Reservoir, and an Aqueduct supporting local needs. The meandering course of the Price River cuts through the southern section, while labels like Church Flats and Sage Flat reveal the naming conventions of the high desert topography.