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1961 Map of Mercury

Name: 1961 Topographic Map of Mercury
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1984
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1984

About this map

Mercury serves as the focal point of this arid landscape, documented during a period of intense activity within the Nevada Test Site Area 5. Established in cooperation with the Atomic Energy Commission, the map reveals the logistical infrastructure required for operations in the high desert, including the Mercury Highway and a series of industrial installations like Pumping Station 4 and the Eagle Roost Radio Tower.

The terrain is defined by dramatic ridges and alluvial washes, with the North Spotted Range and Crossgrain Ridge dominating the central topography. To the east, the Desert National Wildlife Range boundary marks a transition from military and scientific utility to protected wilderness. Researchers can trace the complex network of jeep trails and the Old Indian Springs Road as they navigate between features like the Tower Hills and Winapi Wash, illustrating the mid-century footprint of the Cold War era in Nye County.