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1952 Map of Chloride Cliff

Name: 1952 Topographic Map of Chloride Cliff
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1953
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1953

About this map

Death Valley National Monument reveals a stark landscape of extreme elevations and early desert industry in this mid-century survey. The terrain is anchored by the Chloride Cliff area, where historical mining operations are clearly marked, including the Chloride City settlement and the Keane Wonder Mine. The presence of the Keane Wonder Mill (Aband) reflects the boom-and-bust cycle of extraction that defined this region's early 20th-century development.

Lower elevations are characterized by a network of vital water sources like Salt Springs, Hole-in-the-Rock Spring, and Nevares Springs, which supported both prospectors and the local National Park Service Hdqrs. Local history is preserved in small details, such as the Jean Lemoigne Grave and the rugged Beatty Road winding through the basin. From the high peaks of Echo Mountain to the low (Depression) of the valley floor, this map documents the critical infrastructure and landmark features of the California-Nevada borderlands.