1974 Map of New Empire

About this map

Carson City and the industrial outpost of New Empire occupy the western edge of this 1974 orthophotoquad, which captures the Nevada state capital as it appeared in the mid-1970s. This specialized map uses aerial photography to show the actual footprint of residential growth spreading across Eagle Valley and the sharp contrast between the burgeoning urban center and the arid slopes of the Virginia Range to the north. The winding course of the Carson River dominates the eastern half of the sheet, cutting a path through the foothills and supporting the pockets of greenery and cultivation that define the valley floor. Unlike a standard topographic line map, this photographic record reveals the exact density of structures, the layout of the regional airport, and the specific patterns of land use during a period of significant transition for the region.