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1973 Map of Purcell Canyon

Name: 1973 Topographic Map of Purcell Canyon
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1977
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1977

About this map

Prescott National Forest encompasses the southern portion of this landscape, where the high-elevation terrain of the Juniper Mountains meets a complex network of drainage basins. The area is defined by its ranching history and specialized water management, evidenced by numerous livestock watering sites such as the Jim Bennett Tank, Hubbard Tank, and the uniquely named Charlie Weston Tank. These tanks were essential infrastructure for cattle operations in a region where water sources are often seasonal or intermittent.

Transportation and industry are concentrated along the Big Chino Wash, which serves as a natural corridor for the Big Chino Railroad. This rail line and the nearby Double O Ranch reflect the mid-century agricultural and logistics patterns of Yavapai County. The topography is deeply incised by several major landforms, including Purcell Canyon and Sullivan Canyon, while a Borrow Pit near the railroad suggests local materials extraction for railbed maintenance or road building during this period of the 1970s.