1953 Map of Black Rock Spring SW

About this map

The Yakima Firing Center Military Reservation dominates the northern half of this terrain, where the high elevations of Yakima Ridge overlook the surrounding basalt landscape. This 1950s survey captures a transition point between military training grounds and agricultural utility. To the south, the lower elevations of the Moxee Valley are bound by the rising slopes of the Rattlesnake Hills. The map provides specific evidence of regional infrastructure and land management, featuring the Plant Quarantine Station and an Abandoned Reservoir located near the intersection of Hanford Road and Desmarias Road. The drainage patterns are clearly defined by Selah Creek in the northeast, illustrating the dry, structured topography characteristic of Yakima County's high desert before later developments altered the landscape.