1965 Map of Death Valley

About this map

Death Valley National Monument dominates this mid-century landscape, revealing a complex network of springs and mining sites across the Panamint Range and Funeral Mountains. The map provides an incredible record of early desert habitation, marking several notable locations such as Skidoo, Harrisburg, and Chloride City. To the west, the Inyo Mountains and Argus Range frame the Panamint Valley, while the eastern portion of the sheet transitions into the restricted zones of the Nevada Proving Grounds and Nellis Air Force Base Range. This era of the desert is defined by its industrial and agricultural pockets, from the Santa Rosa Mines near Darwin to the Furnace Creek Ranch. The path of the Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad is still visible, serving as a reminder of the rail-driven economy that once connected these remote mining camps and settlements like Ballarat and Rhyolite.