1956 Map of Desert Creek Peak

About this map

The Walker River meanders through the northwest corner of this 1950s survey, marking a vital water source for the agricultural operations in Antelope Valley. Irrigation infrastructure is prominent throughout the lowlands, including the Saroni Canal, Gray Hills Canal, and Highline Canal, which supported the early 20th-century ranching life at places like Rosaschi Ranch. The terrain rises sharply into the Wellington Hills and Pine Nut Mountains, where the landscape transitions from fertile river bottoms to a mineral-rich highland. Prospecting and extraction are evident at the Boulder Hill Mine and Smith Valley Mine, while the southern reaches are dominated by the high peaks of the Toiyabe National Forest. This map captures a remote frontier where the state line between Nevada and California cuts across the Sweetwater Mts, through a network of canyons like Risue Canyon and Rickey Canyon.