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1954 Map of Ruch

Name: 1954 Topographic Map of Ruch
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1956
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1956

About this map

Mining and forestry operations define this mid-century landscape where the Josephine and Jackson county lines meet at the California border. The rugged drainages of the Applegate River and Little Applegate River are dotted with active mineral extraction sites, including the Layton Mine, Star Mine, and the curiously named Bone of Contention Mine. These camps and mines represent a persistent resource-based economy that shaped the social geography of southern Oregon.

Public land management is heavily represented by various administrative and recreation outposts. Scattered throughout the National Forest are facilities like the Star Ranger Station, Sturgis Guard Sta, and Thompson Creek Forest Camp. For family historians, the presence of localized names such as Offenbacher Point, Burton Butte, and Charlie Buck Gl provides a detailed look at the era's land use before later development altered the remote character of the Siskiyou foothills.