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1968 Map of San Xavier Mission

Name: 1968 Topographic Map of San Xavier Mission
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1979
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1979

About this map

The San Xavier del Bac Mission stands as the architectural anchor of this landscape, situated at the edge of the Santa Cruz Valley where the Santa Cruz River flows north toward Tucson. This late 1960s survey documents a region defined by the juxtaposition of historic spiritual sites and massive modern industrial activity. The southern portion of the San Xavier Indian Reservation is heavily marked by the copper mining industry, evidenced by the sprawling Tailings Ponds, Mine Dump, and the specialized infrastructure of the Pima Mine Railroad.

Elevations rise sharply at Black Mountain and along the Twin Buttes, providing a stark vertical contrast to the desert floor. The map traces the movement of resources and people via the Pima Spur and numerous Jeep Trails that crisscross the arid terrain. From the quiet Cem near the mission to the industrial utility of the Powder Magazine, the sheet preserves a specific moment when traditional land use met the height of mid-century open-pit mining operations.