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1954 Map of Las Vegas

Name: 1954 Topographic Map of Las Vegas
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1954
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1954

About this map

Las Vegas and the surrounding high desert are depicted here in the early 1950s, a period marked by significant military and infrastructure growth. The sprawling Las Vegas Bombing and Gunnery Range and Indian Springs Air Force Base occupy vast stretches of the northern landscape, reflecting the region's Cold War importance. To the east, the monumental Hoover Dam anchors the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, where the massive reservoir fills the canyons of the Virgin River.

Smaller settlements such as Logandale, Bunkerville, and Mesquite follow the river valleys, while the Union Pacific railroad corridor supports towns like Arden and Henderson. For researchers, the map identifies isolated points of interest including the Marble Quarry and numerous natural springs like Fourmile Spring. This landscape is one of stark contrasts, where the growing urban footprint of North Las Vegas sits adjacent to the wild expanses of the Desert Game Range and the Spring Mountains.