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1961 Map of Death Valley

Name: 1961 Topographic Map of Death Valley
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1961
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1961

About this map

Death Valley National Monument and the surrounding desert landscapes are documented here during a period of intense Cold War activity and established mining history. This 1961 revision highlights the industrial and military footprint in the region, featuring the Nevada Proving Grounds and Camp Desert Rock alongside the US Naval Ordnance Test Station. The map illustrates the specialized infrastructure of the era, from the Meteorological Station to the Park Village Pipeline Service Road.

Resource extraction and early tourism coexist in this desert survey. Established sites like Stovepipe Wells Hotel and Furnace Creek Ranch Indian Village anchor the valley floor, while the surrounding mountains are dotted with historic operations such as Skidoo Mines, Chloride City, and the Lost Burro Mine. Traces of the region's transport history are visible in several dismantled rail lines, including the Tidewater & Tonopah RR and the Las Vegas & Tonopah RR.