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1953 Map of Acolita

Name: 1953 Topographic Map of Acolita
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1965
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1965

About this map

The Southern Pacific railroad cuts a straight line through the Colorado Desert, defining the sparse settlement pattern near the Naval Reservation Boundary. Small desert stations like Acolita and Mesquite dot the tracks along the Niland-Glamis Road, serving as remote outposts in a landscape dominated by the Chocolate Mountains. This 1953 field-checked survey captures the region during a period of heavy military and industrial use, showing the Gunnery Range and isolated mining operations.

Deep in the mountains, the Black Eagle Mine and Mary Lode Mine represent the persistent search for mineral wealth in the arid interior. To the southwest, the Sand Hills and the East Mesa Canal mark the transition toward more managed water resources, while the expansive Mammoth Wash drains toward the desert floor. The presence of numerous survey markers, such as BM 278 and BM 271, provides precise points for modern researchers to locate these vanished railway stops and desert tracks.