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1947 Map of Bissell

Name: 1947 Topographic Map of Bissell
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1963
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1963

About this map

The Mojave Desert terrain of eastern Kern County dominates this 1947 survey, revealing a landscape defined by the logistics of the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroad line. The settlement of Bissell sits as a vital point along these tracks, serving as a rare center of activity in a region of sparse habitation. Beyond the rail corridor, the map documents the presence of isolated desert outposts such as the De Stazo Ranch and the E Brown Ranch, highlighting the specialized ranching operations that persisted in this arid environment during the late 1940s.

Contour lines provide a clear view of the distinct desert buttes and landforms that rise above the valley floor. These features, combined with the detailed plotting of unimproved roads and trails, offer a reliable record of how the land was navigated before modern infrastructure reached this portion of the high desert. The map captures a specific moment when these remote ranching nodes and rail sidings represented the primary human imprint on the terrain.