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1956 Map of Durmid

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Durmid
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1957
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1957

About this map

The eastern shoreline of the Salton Sea is defined by a narrow strip of development and infrastructure squeezed between the water and the arid desert uplands. Along the Southern Pacific railroad line, small sidings and stops like Ferrum, Durmid, and Bertram mark the transportation corridor through the Colorado Desert. The landscape is a mix of industrial extraction and military presence, evidenced by the Bertram Mine and the sprawling Chocolate Mountain Aerial Gunnery Range to the east.

Water management is central to the area's geography, with the Coachella Canal cutting across the desert while natural water sources like Rancho Dos Palmas and Hunters Spring provide rare points of relief in the arid basin. To the south, the Salton Sea State Park sits adjacent to a large Naval Reservation, reflecting the region's mid-century transition toward recreational and strategic government use. The prominent Bat Caves Buttes stand as a landmark overlooking the low-lying salt flats and springs.