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1961 Map of Mercury

Name: 1961 Topographic Map of Mercury
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1962
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1962

About this map

The town of Mercury and the high-security infrastructure of the Cold War era define this 1961 desert survey. Established as a base camp for the Nevada Test Site, the settlement is shown here with its proximity to the Mercury Highway and critical support facilities like Desert Rock Park. The map documents a landscape of specialized utility, marked by a series of infrastructure nodes such as Pumping Station 2, Pumping Station 3, and Pumping Station 4 that sustained operations in this arid environment.

Rising above Mercury Valley, the topography transitions from the high peaks of the Spotted Range and Ranger Mountains to the expansive Nellis Air Force Range. Military and scientific activity is evident in the inclusion of the Eagle Roost Radio Tower, various trenches, and the proximity to the Desert Game Range, capturing the intersection of national security operations and the surrounding Great Basin terrain.