1956 Map of Iron Mountains

About this map

Infrastructure for the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California dominates this mid-century desert landscape, centered on the Iron Mountain Pumping Plant and the Colorado River Aqueduct. The survey captures a vital lifeline of water engineering, featuring details like the Sand Draw Siphon, Siphons, and various Water Tanks that sustained operations in the arid Ward Valley. This technological corridor is framed by the steep rises of the Iron Mountains and the Granite Mountains, connected by the high passage at Granite Pass. To the northeast, the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroad skirts the edge of Danby Lake, passing through the small station at Saltmarsh. The map meticulously tracks the San Bernardino Base Line and the county boundary between San Bernardino and Riverside Counties, documenting a remote region defined by its role in regional water transport.