1955 Map of Desert Hot Springs

About this map

The Little San Bernardino Mountains frame the northern edge of this landscape, where the Colorado River Aqueduct cuts across the alluvial fans. This mid-century survey illustrates the early expansion of Desert Hot Springs, appearing here as a growing grid of streets against the desert floor. To the south, the infrastructure of the Southern Pacific railroad and the Twentynine Palms Highway converge near Garnet and the San Gorgonio Pass. The map captures a transitional era of desert development, documenting remote outposts like Lost Heads Ranch and the industrial presence of the Super Creek Mine. Water management is central to the area's geography, with the Whitewater River and numerous washes such as Big Morongo Creek and Mission Creek carving paths through the arid terrain toward North Palm Springs.