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1956 Map of Tuscarora

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Tuscarora
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1972
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1972

About this map

Tuscarora sits at the foot of the Independence Mountains, serving as the primary hub for this high-desert mining and ranching landscape during the mid-1950s. The settlement's mining heritage is clearly visible in the surrounding hills, where operations like the Commonwealth Mine, Queen Mine, and Grand Prize Mine are situated near a local Cem and Landing Strip. The map reveals a land divided between industrial extraction and vast livestock operations, with Spanish Ranch and Quarter Circle S Ranch anchoring the open basins.

Hydrology dictates the layout of the valley, as the Owyhee River and its South Fork provide essential water sources in an otherwise arid environment. To the east, the terrain rises sharply into the Humboldt National Forest, characterized by steep drainage systems such as Taylor Canyon and Jack Creek. This survey captures the transition from peak mining activity to a more diversified economy of ranching and early thermal interest at Hot Sulphur Springs.