1947 Map of Muroc

About this map

Muroc Army Air Field dominates this postwar landscape in the Mojave Desert, revealing the early infrastructure of a site that would become central to American aerospace history. The installation is shown with detailed footprints for an airfield, a trailer park, and an NCO Club, while the vast, dry expanse of Rogers Lake provides the natural foundation for these operations. Bordering the military reservation, industrial activity is present at the Mojave Clay Corporation plant near Solon, connected by the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroad. The map provides a unique look at the small civilian and support settlements like Muroc and East Camp before later expansions altered the local geography. Significant land use is further indicated by a rifle range and several clay pits, reflecting the transition from desert extraction to high-stakes defense testing during this era.