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1955 Map of Joshua Tree

Name: 1955 Topographic Map of Joshua Tree
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1957
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1957

About this map

Joshua Tree and the emerging community of Yucca Valley sit along the Twenty Nine Palms Highway in this mid-century desert survey. The map details a period of post-war development in the high desert, featuring the western-themed enclave of Pioneertown and the religious landmark Desert-Christ Park. South of the San Bernardino Base Line, the landscape transitions into the protected terrain of Joshua Tree National Monument, where the Little San Bernardino Mountains dominate the horizon.

Hydrological features critical to desert life are meticulously noted, including Coyote Hole Spring, Quail Spring, and the seasonally absent Covington Spring. The topography moves from the alluvial washes of Pipes Wash and Lava Butte Wash to the high plateaus of Upper Covington Flat and Lower Covington Flat. Aviation and transit are represented by a local Landing Strip, illustrating the increasing accessibility of the Morongo Basin during the 1950s.