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1956 Map of Colton Well

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Colton Well
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1958
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1958

About this map

The Clipper Mountains and Colton Hills anchor this 1950s survey of the Mojave's arid interior, where survival depended entirely on a network of isolated springs and man-made wells. Resource extraction is a primary theme of the landscape, evidenced by the Silver King Mine in the northwest and the Goldhammer Mine near the southern peaks. These sites, along with various unnamed prospects and shafts, suggest a mid-century period of prospecting and small-scale mineral development.

Transportation through this demanding terrain is limited to primitive routes like the Beecher Trail and Hidden Road. The presence of the IL Ranch and named water sources such as Whiskey Spring, Chuckwalla Springs, and Colton Well illustrates the intersection of cattle ranching and mining in San Bernardino County. These features reveal how early settlers and industry navigated the Fenner Valley before modern infrastructure arrived.