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1955 Map of Deadman Lake SW

Name: 1955 Topographic Map of Deadman Lake SW
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1975
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1975

About this map

The arid landscape of San Bernardino County is dominated by the sprawling operations of the Marine Corps Training Center in the mid-1950s. This survey, conducted during the administration of Governor Goodwin J. Knight, illustrates the intersection of military utility and desert topography. The eastern edge of the map features the dry basin of Deadman Lake, an expansive alkali flat accompanied by a remote Landing Field. Such features were essential for training exercises in the post-war era, providing the open space necessary for maneuvers and aviation.

Water sources in this environment are sparse, with Surprise Spring serving as a rare hydrological landmark among the contour lines. The movement across this terrain is restricted to a network of a Jeep Trail and footpaths, reflecting the tactical nature of the landscape. The southern portion of the sheet is marked by the Naval Reservation Boundary, indicating the vast federal land holdings that characterize this portion of the California desert during the height of the Cold War.