Loading map...

1947 Map of Kramer SW

Name: 1947 Topographic Map of Kramer SW
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1947
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1947

About this map

Muroc Army Airfield Military Reservation dominates the northern reaches of this landscape, a significant installation established during the post-war expansion of military aviation. Situated where the Antelope Valley meets the Mojave Desert, the area is characterized by vast arid stretches and isolated landforms like Jackrabbit Hill. The map documents a specific moment when the desert was being utilized for intensive flight operations, indicated by a designated Target area north of the primary airfield boundary.

To the south, Mirage Valley transitions into a grid of section lines and early road alignments, reflecting the systematic surveying of the high desert. While largely undeveloped at the time of this 1947 compilation, the network of unimproved roads and trails shows the early footprint of human movement across this corner of Los Angeles County. The presence of the Military Reservation (Approximate) boundary cutting across the center of the sheet highlights the dual nature of the land as both a civilian desert frontier and a strategic defense zone.