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1956 Map of Needles

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Needles
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1972
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1972

About this map

The Colorado River serves as the vital boundary and lifeblood of this desert region, winding through the Chemehuevi Valley and supporting the vast Lake Havasu reservoir. This mid-century landscape is defined by the heavy infrastructure of the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroad and the desert-spanning routes of U.S. 66 and U.S. 95. The map records a network of sidings and small settlements like Goffs, Essex, and Vidal, many established to serve the rail lines and water management systems.

Major land use patterns are visible through the large footprints of the Marine Corps Base at Twentynine Palms and several tribal lands, including the Fort Mohave Indian Reservation. In the south, the Iron Mountain Pumping Plant highlights the industrial effort to move water across the arid basins, while the northern reaches include the protected wilderness of Mitchell Caverns State Park set against the Granite Mountains.