1964 Map of Kettle Butte

About this map

The National Reactor Testing Station occupies the western edge of this mid-1960s survey, marking a period of significant federal scientific investment in the Idaho desert. The landscape is defined by vast volcanic fields, simply labeled as Lava, which dominate the southern half of the quadrangle. High points like Kettle Butte, featuring the Pinhead peak, and the prominent Twentymile Rock serve as the primary landmarks in this otherwise desolate terrain. Human infrastructure is sparse, concentrated primarily along the corridor of State Road 20 and a handful of utility sites like Taylor Well and several Borrow Pit excavations, likely used for road construction or maintenance during the area's development for nuclear research and testing purposes.