1959 Map of Oracle

About this map

Oracle serves as the focal point for this late-1950s survey of the northern foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains. The landscape is a complex network of cattle operations and mining claims, including the Ardmose Mine and Hot Boy Mine in the north and the Burney Mines to the south. Distinctive ranching properties like the Triangle L Ranch, Horse Foot Ranch, and Willow Springs Ranch illustrate the era's land use, while the Experimental Ranch suggests specialized agricultural research in the arid terrain. The map captures a transition where the desert floor meets the rising elevations of the Coronado National Forest, marked by the Oracle Ranger Sta and the Coronado Camp. An intricate system of water management is visible through numerous named tanks and wells, such as Tipperary Tank and Last Chance Tank, which were vital for sustaining livestock and mining operations across the Cañada del Oro drainage basin.