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1954 Map of Observation Peak

Name: 1954 Topographic Map of Observation Peak
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1964
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1964

About this map

The Madeline Plains dominate this high desert landscape along the California-Nevada border, where water management and livestock ranching define the settlement pattern. Surveyed in 1954, the map reveals a network of man-made water features essential for survival in the arid high country, including Dodge Reservoir, Union Res, and Buckhorn Res. Large ranch holdings such as Cold Spring Ranch and Madeline Ranch are established near vital water sources like Cold Spring.

A significant portion of the southern terrain is dedicated to the State Game Refuge, centered around the prominent Observation Peak. The map captures specialized agricultural infrastructure including Shearing Corrals and numerous Windmill sites across the flats. For genealogists and local historians, the inclusion of a small Cemetery near the Home Ranch site and various family-named landmarks like Painters Creek provide specific points of interest in this transition zone between the Cottonwood Mountains and the expansive Painters Flat.