1952 Map of Frenchman Lake

About this map

The Nevada Proving Grounds and an expansive Bombing and Gunnery Range dominate this mid-century survey of the high desert. This area, spanning the borders of Nye, Lincoln, and Clark counties, was at the center of Cold War military operations during the early 1950s. The landscape is defined by vast playas, including Yucca Flat and Frenchman Flat, which are surrounded by prominent topographic features such as the Las Vegas Range, the Ranger Mountains, and the Spotted Range. The Mercury Highway provides the primary transit artery through this restricted zone, passing near an Aqueduct and the dry bed of Frenchman Lake. Prominent summits like French Peak and Massachusetts Mtn serve as landmarks within this high-security territory, where geological survey work intersected with atomic-era strategic defense.