Loading map...

1941 Map of Clark Lake

Name: 1941 Topographic Map of Clark Lake
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1956
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1956

About this map

Anza-Borrego State Park dominates this desert landscape during the early 1940s, a period when the region was primarily defined by remote cattle ranches and early irrigation efforts. The settlement of Borrego Springs is visible as a developing hub, supported by the local Borrego Sch. Farther north, the isolation of the Santa Rosa Mountains is underscored by primitive routes like the Anza Trail and Rockhouse Trail, which follow the natural contours of deep canyons such as Rockhouse Canyon and Coyote Creek.

Genealogists and local historians can find specific land-use markers including Rancho De Anza, Brinniger Ranch, and Oliver Ranch, which provide evidence of the scattered agricultural footprint within Borrego Valley. Natural water sources, critical to life in this arid environment, are meticulously noted, from the perennial Santa Caterina Springs to the ephemeral Clark Lake and Clark Well. This survey was conducted just as the area began transitioning from a frontier ranching district into a protected desert preserve.