1953 Map of Spruce Mountain

About this map

Spruce Mountain dominates the landscape of this 1950s survey, a prominent high-desert ridge rising between Clover Valley and Independence Valley. The eastern slopes of the mountain reveal a concentrated history of extraction, with numerous workings including the Black Forest Mine, Kille Mine, and Monarch Mine. Near the southern peaks, the Sprucemont (Site) indicates a former habitation area supported by local water sources like Townsite Spring. This mining district relied on a network of remote infrastructure, from the Spruce Mountain Road to scattered resources such as the Basco Spring Water Tank and Spruce Well. The map captures the industrial footprint of high-altitude Nevada mining before modern large-scale redevelopment, documenting the specific locations of shafts, gravel pits, and prospects that defined the local economy during the mid-twentieth century.