1955 Map of Kingston Peak

About this map

The high desert of San Bernardino County is defined by the Kingston Range and the Shadow Mountains, where the landscape is marked by the presence of mineral extraction and scarce water sources. Prospectors and miners established claims throughout this terrain, as evidenced by the Eastern Star Mine and the Shadow Mtn Mine, which sit alongside numerous scattered prospects and shafts. This mid-century survey documents the critical infrastructure of the era, from the desert outposts at Valley Wells to the isolated water points of Coyote Holes, Kingston Spring, and Porcupine Tank. The vast Valjean Valley and the prominent Kingston Peak provide a topographical frame for the network of unimproved roads and washes, including the significant Kingston Wash, which served as the primary transit corridors for those navigating this interior desert region.