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1958 Map of O'Donnell Canyon

Name: 1958 Topographic Map of O'Donnell Canyon
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1984
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1984

About this map

Coronado National Forest dominates this landscape, where the rugged Canelo Hills meet a series of ranching outposts and mineral prospects. The 1958 survey, with later revisions, shows a high-desert environment defined by resource extraction and cattle operations. Mining activity is concentrated in the southwest near Redrock Canyon, evidenced by the New York Mine, La Plata Mine, and Meadow Valley Mine. These small-scale operations sit alongside long-established family landholdings like the Frazier Ranch, Houston Ranch, and Umpire Ranch.

Water management is central to life in O'Donnell Canyon, with a complex network of improvements including Rattlesnake Dam, Cemetery Tank, and the Lampshire Well. Near the eastern edge, the Canelo School and Canelo Ranger Station mark the social and administrative center of the district, while the Black Oak Cemetery serves as a silent record of early residents. Travel through the high country is facilitated by jeep trails crossing Canelo Pass.