1953 Map of Hoover Dam

About this map

Hoover Dam anchors this mid-century study of the border between Nevada and Arizona, where the impounded Colorado River fills the jagged basins of the Lake Mead National Recreational Area. The map reveals the dramatic intersection of desert geology and massive human engineering, featuring the flooded contours of Boulder Canyon and the expansive Lake Mead. Beyond the water's edge, the landscape is marked by the complex topography of the Pinto Valley and Bitter Spring Valley, interspersed with evidence of early twentieth-century desert life and extraction. Scattered landmarks like Old Pop's Mine and the Cofhenour Mine speak to the region's mining history, while Bonnelli Landing Road provides a rare terrestrial path through the rugged terrain east of Hamblin Bay. This edition is particularly notable for its inclusion of underwater contours, illustrating the submerged canyon floor as it existed after the dam's completion.