1942 Map of Emigrant Valley

About this map

Tonopah Bombing and Gunnery Range dominates this 1942 landscape, reflecting the wartime transition of the Nevada desert into a vast military training ground. This Army Map Service compilation, prepared shortly after the United States entered World War II, delineates the sprawling Military Reservation Boundary across the Emigrant Valley. Beyond the high-altitude Bald Mountain and the Timpahute Range, evidence of earlier desert industry persists at the Groom mine and settlement. The map captures a moment of intense geographical change where traditional mining and ranching areas, represented by landmarks like Windy and Stumble, were being formally partitioned for strategic defense. This survey shows the region as it existed before decades of further military development, providing a clear record of the intersection between Nye and Lincoln Counties during the mid-century.