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1981 Map of Van Horn Basin

Name: 1981 Topographic Map of Van Horn Basin
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1981
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1981

About this map

Pueblo Mountains dominate this high-desert landscape in Harney County, where steep drainages like Cottonwood Creek and Stonehouse Creek carve through the massif. The map documents a sparsely populated ranching and mining region during the late 1970s, evidenced by isolated structures such as the O'Connor Homestead and Tiller Cabin. The settlement of Denio sits at the southern edge of the basin near Pueblo Valley Creek, serving as a local hub for the surrounding livestock operations and mining interests.

Water is the central organizing feature of this arid terrain, with numerous springs feeding into Van Horn Basin and Denio Basin. High-altitude grazing areas including Ten Cent Meadows and Propener Meadows indicate the seasonal movement of cattle, while several labeled mines and prospects point to the persistent search for mineral wealth in the volcanic ridges. The map also captures the Poor Farm and a local cemetery, providing valuable geographic markers for genealogical research in this remote corner of Oregon.