1955 Map of Cleghorn Lakes

About this map

Bullion Mountains dominate this 1950s landscape, which is marked by the presence of a Marine Corps Training Center. The arid terrain is characterized by ephemeral basins and high desert elevations, including Bullion East VABM 4046 and Bald VABM 4079. This survey, based on 1952 aerial photography, documents the area as it was managed for military purposes, showing the primitive infrastructure required for desert operations. The presence of a Dry Well and numerous Jeep Trails spidering across the dry lake beds of Cleghorn Lakes illustrates the navigational challenges of this interior San Bernardino County environment. The map captures a moment when this section of the Mojave was strictly defined by topographic surveying for defense training, providing a record of the natural contours before later twentieth-century changes in land use.