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1956 Map of Old Dad Mountain

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Old Dad Mountain
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1957
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1957

About this map

Old Dad Mtn dominates this high-desert landscape in the mid-1950s, a region defined by dramatic geological shifts and isolated mining operations. The southern portion of the sheet reveals the vast Devils Playground and the Kelso Dunes, where the arid terrain meets the Union Pacific rail line at the small settlement of Sands. This transportation corridor provided critical access to the remote interior, supporting the small-scale mineral extraction seen throughout the hills.

Prospectors and miners left their mark across the northern reaches, establishing sites like the Paymaster Mine, Oro Fino Mine, and Brannigan Mine near Seventeenmile Point. Traces of much earlier inhabitants are also preserved on the map, notably the Petroglyphs located east of the main peak. From the volcanic flows of the Lava beds to the seasonal waters of Soda Lake and Indian Spring, the map documents a territory where industrial ambition and ancient history overlap.