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1947 Map of Mt. Mesa

Name: 1947 Topographic Map of Mt. Mesa
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1964
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1964

About this map

Rogers Lake dominates the upper northwestern portion of this terrain, marking a stark boundary within the expansive Mojave Desert. The landscape is heavily defined by the presence of the Muroc Army Airfield Military Reservation, a site of critical importance for early postwar aeronautical testing. The presence of several Lookout Towers along the northern ridges suggest a network of observation points established to monitor the wide valley floor below.

Contour lines reveal the significant elevation change moving toward the southern portion of the sheet, culminating at the summit of Mt. Mesa. Traces of human activity outside the military installation are sparse, noted primarily by isolated Ruins and scattered tracks. This document captures the transition of the High Desert into a specialized military landscape, where the natural playa was increasingly utilized for advanced flight operations just after World War II.