1940 Map of Durmid

About this map

The Salton Sea shoreline dominates this 1940s landscape, recorded shortly after the water surface was measured at 241 feet below sea level. Along the eastern shore, the Southern Pacific railroad serves a string of small desert outposts including Durmid and Bertram, while Salton Beach marks a rare point of shoreline development in Riverside County. Across the water in Imperial County, the landscape is defined by vast desert washes like Grave Wash and Tule Wash that cut toward the basin. The western edge of the map highlights early transit corridors through the arid terrain, specifically the Truckhaven Trail and the Anza Trail near the settlement of Truckhaven. This survey captures the region just as the Coachella Canal was being established on the eastern bluffs, a critical piece of water infrastructure that would eventually reshape the agricultural potential of the valley floor.