1943 Map of Coxcomb Mountains

About this map

Joshua Tree National Monument dominates the northwestern portion of this 1940s landscape, protecting the transition between the high desert and the Pinto Basin. This wartime survey, mapped by the Army Map Service, documents a sparsely populated but strategically important corridor in the Colorado Desert. The Colorado River Aqueduct is visible as it traverses the arid landscape, representing a massive feat of hydraulic engineering essential for Southern California's growth. To the southeast, the Chuckwalla Valley opens up, anchored by the CAA Intermediate Landing Field and the Parker Dam Highway, reflecting the region's role in mid-century aviation and transit. The survey provides topographic detail for the Coxcomb Mountains and Eagle Mountains, recording a wilderness before the era of intensive desert development.