1953 Map of Black Rock Spring SW

About this map

The Yakima Firing Center Military Reservation dominates the northern landscape of this region, where the high terrain of Yakima Ridge meets the lower elevations of the Moxee Valley. Established in the early 1950s, this military footprint transformed the local topography into a secured training area, even as civilian life persisted at its southern borders. To the south, the Rattlesnake Hills rise above the valley floor, creating a stark contrast to the agricultural and research activities identified by the Plant Quarantine Station near the southern boundary. Small-scale infrastructure like the Abandoned Reservoir and the drainage of Selah Creek suggest the ongoing challenge of water management in this arid environment. Key transportation routes, including Desmarias Road and Hanford Road, provided essential access between the military installation and the surrounding valley communities.