1957 Map of Twin Buttes

About this map

Sierrita Mountains dominate this 1957 landscape, where a series of prominent summits like Keystone Peak and Soto Peak overlook an evolving mining and ranching economy. Industrial activity is concentrated at the northern edge, where the Pima Mine and Banner Mine operate near Mineral Hill, marked by extensive tailings ponds and shafts. This mid-century view captures a network of family-held territories including Ruby-Star Ranch, McGee Ranch, and Batamote Ranch, which utilized the natural drainages of Demetrie Wash and Tinaja Wash for livestock. Along the eastern margin, the Santa Cruz River valley provides a fertile corridor for the Southern Pacific railroad and established holdings like Canoa Ranch. The map effectively documents the spatial relationship between these isolated desert outposts and the emerging large-scale open-pit mining operations that began to redefine the terrain of the Twin Buttes area.