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1955 Map of Lead Mountain SW

Name: 1955 Topographic Map of Lead Mountain SW
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1982
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1982

About this map

The Bullion Mountains dominate this high desert landscape within San Bernardino County, where topographical contours reveal a network of ridgelines and steep passes. This mid-century survey illustrates the intense military utilization of the California desert, clearly demarcating the Marine Corps Training Center and the Naval Reservation Boundary as they intersect the natural terrain. The absence of permanent civilian settlements underscores the region's transition into a dedicated federal training ground during the Cold War era.

A primary point of transit through the upland reaches is Cleghorn Pass, a natural corridor that cuts through the mountain range. Movement across the lower elevations is limited to a sparse Jeep Trail, highlighting the undeveloped and functional nature of the territory. The survey, field-checked in 1955 and later photoinspected, captures a specific moment when these desert expanses were fully integrated into military operations, yet remained largely unchanged in their physical geography.