1943 Map of Inyokern

About this map

Indian Wells Valley is defined by the sharp transition between the high peaks of the Sierra Nevada and the arid lowlands where early twentieth-century infrastructure meets the desert floor. The Los Angeles Aqueduct cuts a stark line along the base of the mountains, following the contours of the range near Owens Peak and Morris Peak. This 1943 survey, published during the height of mid-century expansion, documents the intersection of essential transport and utility corridors, including the Southern Pacific railroad and a significant U S Naval Reservation boundary.