Loading map...

1955 Map of Emerson Lake

Name: 1955 Topographic Map of Emerson Lake
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1956
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1956

About this map

Emerson Lake and the surrounding high desert basin dominate this mid-century topographical study of the California interior. The landscape is defined by its arid geography and early resource extraction, evidenced by various prospects and shafts like the Blue Ribbon Mine and Crystal Mine dotting the foothills of Hidalgo Mountain. Small-scale settlement is concentrated near Landers, while the surrounding terrain is marked by dry lake beds such as Quackenbush Lake and Means Lake.

Strategic and recreational uses are visible through several distinct landmarks, including a Landing Strip near the massive Giant Rock and the extensive Naval Reservation Bdy. Transportation in this era relied heavily on specialized routes through the sand, identified by an extensive network of Jeep Trails and the Surprise Spring Road, which connected isolated springs and mines across the Piper Wash.