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1942 Map of Oro Blanco

Name: 1942 Topographic Map of Oro Blanco
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1968
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1968

About this map

Hard-rock mining operations dominate the high desert terrain of the Coronado National Forest along the international border in the early 1940s. The settlement of Oro Blanco serves as a central point for a landscape marked by numerous inactive extraction sites, including the Yellow Jacket Mine, Old Glory Mine, and Austerlitz Mine. These features illustrate the fading pulse of a once-booming mining district.

Southward, the topography transitions toward the United States Mexico boundary, where cattle ranching persists at Garcia Ranch and Tres Bellotas Ranch. The map identifies critical water sources in an arid environment, such as Coches Well and the Cantina Reservoir, which were essential for both the remaining livestock operations and the scattered residents. Elevations range from the heights of Lesna Peak and Cumero Mtn down through the deep cuts of Agua Cercada Canyon and Mojonera Canyon.