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1953 Map of Spanish Mine

Name: 1953 Topographic Map of Spanish Mine
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1982
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1982

About this map

The Spanish Mine sits at the northern edge of the Ferris Mountains, marking a landscape defined by sharp elevation shifts and the essential management of water. This 1953 survey, updated with 1980 aerial data, reveals a network of ditches and pipelines cutting across the Arkansas Flats, indicating the vital role of irrigation and resource transport in this high-altitude environment. Several drainage systems, including Rush Creek and Arkansas Creek, flow northward from the mountain front, while named canyons like Pole Canyon and Miners Canyon carve through the southern slopes.

Local history is grounded in specific sites like Jimmys Place, tucked near the mountainside. The presence of benchmark elevations and carefully mapped water features such as East Arkansas Creek suggests a region primarily used for mining and ranching. The topographical detail provides a clear look at how human activity, from small settlements to industrial mining operations, adapted to the steep terrain and the broad, dry basins of Carbon County.