Loading map...

1957 Map of Kerens

Name: 1957 Topographic Map of Kerens
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1965
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1965

About this map

The Union Pacific railroad corridor serves as the primary artery through this arid San Bernardino landscape, linking isolated outposts like Kelso, Glasgow, and Kerens. These small settlements are positioned along the rail line as it skirts the northern edge of the Devils Playground, a vast expanse of shifting sands. The map details a dramatic shift in elevation, from the prominent Kelso Dunes and open Wash plains to the surrounding peaks of the Bristol Mountains and Old Dad Mountains.

Resource extraction and transit history are visible through the inclusion of the Onyx Mine in the southwest and several Jeep Trails that penetrate the mountain ranges. To the south, the Granite Mts rise abruptly, while the ephemeral Budweiser drainage suggests the seasonal water patterns that define this Mojave environment. This survey captures a moment when rail operations and mining remained the dominant human imprint on the high desert.