Loading map...

1948 Map of Leach Lake

Name: 1948 Topographic Map of Leach Lake
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1966
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1966

About this map

Black Magic Mines and the New Deal Mine represent the industrial footprint of this remote desert landscape during the late 1940s. The terrain is defined by the high peaks of the Owlshead Mountains and the Granite Mountains, punctuated by crucial water sources like Owl Hole Springs, Two Springs, and Desert King Spring. These springs provided the only reliable water for prospectors and travelers moving along the Randsburg Road towards the northwestern corners of the San Bernardino desert.

Governance of the land is sharply divided between conservation and military use, as seen by the corner of the Death Valley National Monument abutting the expansive Camp Irwin Military Reservation. The presence of Leach Lake and Owl Lake, typically dry playas in this environment, underscores the arid character of the region. The map captures a moment when infrastructure was still expanding, noting several sections of road as being under construction.