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1952 Map of Mercury

Name: 1952 Topographic Map of Mercury
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1964
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1964

About this map

Mercury serves as the primary gateway to the massive Test Site and Nellis Air Force Range during the early 1950s, a period of intensive federal activity in southern Nevada. The settlement is positioned along the Mercury Highway, which cuts across the landscape toward Checkpoint Pass. The terrain is defined by the high, ridged geography of the Spotted Range, Desert Range, and Mercury Ridge, which surround the broad alluvial floor of Indian Spring Valley.

Logistical infrastructure is a prominent feature of this desert landscape, evidenced by the presence of a Pumping Station and Water Tank necessary for maintaining the restricted facility. The map documents the administrative division between Nye and Clark Counties as it bisects the mountain ranges and game lands. This survey reflects the height of Cold War development when this region became central to the nation's defense operations.