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1962 Map of Oak Spring Butte

Name: 1962 Topographic Map of Oak Spring Butte
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1974
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1974

About this map

Nevada Test Site and Nellis Air Force Range dominate this landscape, reflecting a specialized mid-century era of military and atomic research in Nye County. Surveyed in 1962 in cooperation with the Atomic Energy Commission, the map details the restricted administrative lines of Area 15 Boundary and Area 12 Bdy. These governmental borders cut through a dramatic topography defined by the Belted Range and the prominent Big Dome.

Geological exploration and tactical access are evident through scattered Prospects and a network of Jeep Trails that navigate the high desert terrain. Notable natural features include the steep walls of Gothic Canyon and the dry path of Carbonate Wash, leading toward the high point at Oak Spring Butte. The map captures a moment when this section of the Nevada desert was being rigorously cordoned and scrutinized for national defense and nuclear testing purposes.