1950 Map of New York Butte

About this map

The Inyo Mountains dominate this landscape, rising sharply between the arid Saline Valley and the eastern edge of Owens Lake. This mid-century survey reveals an intense concentration of mining activity along the steep slopes and canyons, particularly concentrated around the southeastern summits. Named operations like the Keynot Mine, Snowflake Talc Mine, and Morning Star Mine suggest a varied extraction economy of talc and precious metals. Transportation is tethered to the lower elevations, where the Southern Pacific railroad skirts the edge of Owens Valley, connecting the small settlements of Swansea and Dolomite. The presence of Beveridge high in the mountains and numerous springs like Mexican Spring and Cerro Gordo Spring indicates the logistical challenges faced by miners operating in this desert terrain during the early 1950s.