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1960 Map of Frenchman Flat

Name: 1960 Topographic Map of Frenchman Flat
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1984
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1984

About this map

Nevada Test Site operations dominate this desert landscape, where technical and military infrastructure surrounds the dry expanse of Frenchman Lake. Established in cooperation with the Atomic Energy Commission, the area is marked by specialized structures including the Blast Center, the Kay Blockhouse, and multiple bunkers such as the Sugar Bunker and Triple Point Bunker. These features, alongside identified Ruins and Radioactive Waste Dump sites, reflect the intense period of mid-century nuclear testing and scientific observation.

Transportation through the basin relies on the Mercury Highway and the Old Indian Springs Road, while the terrain rises toward Massachusetts Mountain and the Ranger Mountains. The map documents a strictly controlled environment, bordered by the Nellis Air Force Range and the Desert National Wildlife Range. Vital water sources for site operations are noted at Well 5A, Well 5B, and Well 5C, supporting the Pumping Station in this arid environment.