1955 Map of Deadman Lake SW

About this map

Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center dominates this high-desert landscape in San Bernardino County, where military operations and natural desert hydrology meet. Based on a 1954 plane-table survey and updated with purple-ink revisions from the late 1970s, the map reveals the critical infrastructure of the Naval Reservation Boundary. The presence of the Landing Field positioned adjacent to the dry bed of Deadman Lake illustrates the strategic use of flat, arid basins for aviation during the mid-20th century. Water, though scarce, is represented by Surprise Spring, a vital point of interest for anyone studying the historic distribution of resources in this remote training ground. The topographic contours highlight the transition from the lakebed floor to the surrounding mountainous terrain, providing a clear record of the area's geography before more modern developments within the base complex.