Loading map...

1956 Map of Ivanpah

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Ivanpah
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1957
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1957

About this map

Mining and rail activity define this mid-century high desert landscape along the California and Nevada border. The Union Pacific railroad cuts a diagonal path through the valley, serving small stops like Nipton, Moore, and Brant. To the east, the New York Mountains and Ivanpah Mountains are heavily marked by the region's hard-rock extraction history. Industrial sites such as the Carbonate King Mine near Kokoweef Peak and the Morning Star Mine sit among numerous shafts and prospects.

Water remains the most critical resource in this arid environment, represented by essential landmarks like Wheaton Springs, Murphy Well, and Slaughterhouse Spring. The presence of an Old Railroad Grade and Vanderbilt—a town born from the 1890s gold rush—indicates the shifting fortunes of the Mojave. This 1956 survey, directed by Harvey O. Banks, documents a period when these remote outposts still supported active mining operations and transit infrastructure before the expansion of modern desert tourism.