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1972 Map of Dove Spring

Name: 1972 Topographic Map of Dove Spring
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1994
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1994

About this map

Indian Wells Valley provides the backdrop for this desert landscape, where water sources and mineral extraction dictated human movement and settlement. Vital infrastructure is represented by the original Los Angeles Aqueduct and the Second Los Angeles Aqueduct, which cut through the eastern portion of the terrain. These massive water projects stand in contrast to the localized desert springs and canyons that sustained earlier inhabitants and prospectors, including Dove Spring, Bird Spring, and Butterbredt Spring.

Mining history is preserved through sites like the San Antonio Mine, Lone Star Mine, and Granite King Mine, which are scattered among the ridges and washes. The presence of remote outposts such as Bishops Claim and Graves suggests the isolated nature of residency here in the early 1970s. Navigating the canyons like Alphie Canyon and Bird Spring Canyon required rugged 4wd tracks, which connect the high-desert ridges to the valley floor.