1961 Map of Lathrop Wells

About this map

Nevada Test Site lands dominate the eastern half of this 1961 survey, where the arid expanse of the Amargosa Desert meets the rising slopes of Yucca Mountain. The settlement of Lathrop Wells sits at a critical junction of desert travel, flanked by a primitive Airstrip and a network of jeep trails. This period reflects the high-intensity operations of the Atomic Energy Commission, as noted in the margin, which worked in cooperation with the USGS to map this sensitive terrain. Evidence of mineral exploration is scattered across the landscape in the form of several unnamed Prospects and a Gravel Pit. Natural water sources, precious in this environment, are represented by Cane Spring and a few isolated wells, while the dry path of Fortymile Wash cuts a wide swath through the valley floor, indicating the scale of occasional flash drainage.