1893 Map of Disaster

About this map

Black Rock Desert and the high peaks of the Pine Forest Mountains define this remote expanse of northwestern Nevada during the late nineteenth century. Surveyed in 1882, the map documents a landscape where water is the primary driver of travel and settlement, centered on the intermittent Quinn River and its eventual disappearance at the Sink of Quinn River. The scarcity of water is punctuated by numerous Hot Springs and established watering points like Mason's Crossing and Sod House Point, which served as vital stops for those traversing the high desert. To the north, the Oregon Nevada Boundary Line runs past Disaster Peak and Trident Peak. This 1893 edition provides a look at the early topography of the Jackson Mountains, identifying named landmarks such as King Lear and Parrot Peak before modern developments altered the region's character.