1953 Map of Acolita

About this map

The settlement of Acolita serves as a lone landmark along the Southern Pacific Railroad as it cuts across the Imperial Valley desert landscape in the early 1950s. This survey, mapped under State Engineer A. D. Edmonston, captures a terrain dominated by the shifting dunes of the Sand Hills and the rugged rise of the Chocolate Mountains. Military activity is a defining characteristic of the northern area, marked by a significant Aerial Gunnery Range and a defined Naval Reservation Bdy. Critical desert infrastructure is visible in the southwest, where the Coachella Canal winds past East Mesa, illustrating the era's focus on water management and transport. The Niland-Glamis Road parallels the rail line, providing the primary overland route through this arid region alongside several primitive Jeep Trails.