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1957 Map of Mount Signal

Name: 1957 Topographic Map of Mount Signal
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1991
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1991

About this map

The Yuha Desert and West Mesa define this arid landscape along the international border, where complex irrigation engineering transforms the dry terrain of Imperial County. A massive network of waterways, including the Westside Main Canal, Fern Canal, and numerous numbered drains like Dixie Drain 2, illustrates the intensive water management required for the region's development. Centered near the settlement of Mount Signal, the map documents local civic life through the Mt Signal School and various Gravel Pits that suggest early industrial activity.

Tracing the path of the New River, one finds historic landmarks like Wulfs Crossing and specialized surveying points such as Vabm 41 within the Naval Reservation. The proximity to the California Baja California boundary is ever-present, with the United States Mexico border marked by rugged 4wd trails. This mid-century survey captures a crucial moment when desert reclamation and military use overlapped in this borderland corridor.