{"product_id":"old-map-of-silver-city-new-mexico-by-usgs-1951-gila-national-forest-pinos-altos-continental-divide","title":"Old Map of Silver City, New Mexico by USGS, 1951 – Gila National Forest, Pinos Altos \u0026 Continental Divide","description":"\u003cp\u003ePublished in 1951, the U.S. Geological Survey’s “Silver City” presents one of New Mexico’s most storied mining landscapes with the precision and restraint that made USGS topographic mapping indispensable. At a 1:24,000 scale, the map captures Silver City and its immediate surroundings at a moment when the old frontier mining economy was meeting modern roads, public lands management, and postwar development. The town appears not as an isolated settlement, but as part of a larger terrain of ridges, creeks, mines, and routes leading toward the Gila country. Its title is wonderfully direct, yet evocative: Silver City, a name inseparable from ore, ambition, and the rugged uplands of southwestern New Mexico.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe USGS, established in 1879, became the national authority for documenting the American landscape through geology, hydrology, elevation, and resource survey. This map reflects that mission in its most elegant form: contour lines articulate every rise and drainage, while roads, watercourses, mines, and land-use symbols are carefully integrated into a coherent portrait of place. Around Silver City, the terrain is anything but simple. Bear Mountain, Pinos Altos Hill, the Burro Mountains, and the Big Burro Mountains create a landscape of broken uplands and mineral-rich slopes. The map’s design allows the viewer to read the country almost as a geologist might: by gradients, watersheds, and the subtle relationship between settlement and stone.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSilver City’s historical significance comes through vividly in the network of mining and transportation features surrounding the town. The nearby Grace Gold Mine and the older mining communities of Pinos Altos and Tyrone speak to the region’s long association with copper, silver, and gold extraction. Fort Bayard, east of Silver City, adds another historical layer, recalling the military presence that accompanied settlement in this part of the Southwest. These names mark more than locations; they suggest the overlapping worlds of prospectors, soldiers, ranchers, railroad-era entrepreneurs, and later motorists. By 1951, Silver City was already a place with a deep past, and the map preserves the geography of that legacy with unusual clarity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe natural drama of the region is equally compelling. The Continental Divide runs through this high country, separating waters that ultimately flow toward different oceans and lending the map a continental significance beyond its local detail. Creeks such as San Vicente Creek, Sapillo Creek, Little Cherry Creek, and Mule Creek trace the logic of the terrain, carving valleys through dry uplands and leading the eye toward the broader Gila River system. To the north, the great expanse of the Gila National Forest forms a wilder counterpoint to the mining towns and road corridors. Nearby features such as Washington Peak and Bear Mountain reinforce the sense of a landscape shaped by elevation, exposure, and scarce water.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a historical document, the map is especially valuable because Silver City and its surroundings have changed substantially since 1951. Mining activity, urban expansion, tourism, and the growing importance of the Gila National Forest as a recreational gateway have all reshaped the region’s human geography. Yet this map preserves an earlier arrangement of roads, settlements, claims, creeks, and open country. Places such as Cliff, Redrock, Seven Rivers, and Chloride evoke the wider mining and ranching world connected to Silver City by trails, roads, and memory. With its finely rendered contours and authoritative USGS symbology, “Silver City” offers a richly layered view of southwestern New Mexico at mid-century—both scientifically precise and historically resonant.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCities, towns and places on this map\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSilver City\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGrace Gold Mine\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eContinental Divide\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBear Mountain\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGila National Forest\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eChloride\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePinos Altos\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBig Burro Mountains\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMule Creek\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePinos Altos Hill\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSan Vicente Creek\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSapillo Creek\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLittle Cherry Creek\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSeven Rivers\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWashington Peak\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBurro Mountains\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRedrock\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTyrone\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCliff\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFort Bayard\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGila River\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistorical context \u0026amp; cartographic details\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePublished by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHistorical 1:24,000 topographical map dated 1951.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe USGS is known for authoritative geological mapping and reliable scientific information about the U.S. landscape and resources.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHighlights a historically significant mining region, with connections to mining history and access to the Gila National Forest.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFeatures detailed topographic shading and contour lines showing elevation changes.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIncludes symbols identifying roads, water features, and land use.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShows varied terrain, including mountains, valleys, and urban areas.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOffers insight into a landscape that may have changed considerably since 1951 due to mining activity, tourism, land-use shifts, and urban development.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLooking for a particular place?\u003c\/strong\u003e Review the detailed images to confirm that the town, landmark or feature you have in mind appears on the map. If you are unsure, \u003ca target=\"”_blank”\" href=\"\/de\/pages\/contact-us\"\u003eask our workshop to check before you order\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDetailed maps are especially rewarding at larger sizes, where names, boundaries and decorative features have more room to be appreciated. Use the close-up preview and size guide to choose the right scale for your wall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis map looks amazing at sizes all the way up to 50in (125cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please \u003ca href=\"\/de\/pages\/contact-us\"\u003eget in touch\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe model in the listing images is holding the 16x20in (40x50cm) version of this map.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhere personalisation is available, you can add a short title or dedication, mark one meaningful place, or request one considered visual detail. \u003ca target=\"”_blank”\" href=\"\/de\/pages\/map-personalisation\"\u003eSee personalised map examples\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eEvery piece is printed to museum-grade archival standards using fade-resistant pigment inks on acid-free matte paper. Choose an unframed map print, framed map or canvas using the finish options above. Framed maps use crystal-clear optical acrylic and arrive ready to hang.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWith its rich detail and strong sense of place, this map makes a considered gift for a new home, anniversary, retirement or anyone with a personal connection to the area shown. Still deciding? Explore our collection of \u003ca target=\"”_blank”\" href=\"\/de\/collections\/all-old-vintage-antique-maps\"\u003erare old and vintage maps\u003c\/a\u003e to discover another place, period or style.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Unique Maps Co.","offers":[{"title":"12x16in (30x40cm) \/ Map","offer_id":58780962226560,"sku":null,"price":55.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x16in (30x40cm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":58780962259328,"sku":null,"price":146.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x16in (30x40cm) \/ Framed canvas map","offer_id":58780962292096,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Map","offer_id":58780962324864,"sku":null,"price":55.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":58780962357632,"sku":null,"price":146.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Framed canvas 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