1971 Map of Latimer

About this map

Latimer appears as a small siding or stop along the Union Pacific railroad line as it cuts diagonally across the open expanse of the Escalante Desert. The landscape is defined by its water management infrastructure, where scattered features such as Lowe Well, Government Well, and a Water Tank indicate the vital necessity of tapping groundwater in this arid Iron County region. The terrain is largely flat, broken only by the prominent elevation of Blue Knoll and its associated Blue Knoll Well. Drainage patterns are visible through seasonal channels like Fishers Wash and Mud Spring Wash, which suggest the occasional flash floods typical of the desert environment. This survey provides a clear record of the relationship between industrial transportation and the survival of small desert settlements in the early 1970s.