1955 Map of Old Woman Springs

About this map

Old Woman Springs and the expansive desert landscape of Johnson Valley define this mid-century survey of the Mojave’s edge. The map reveals a land structured by its water sources, from the ephemeral basins of Soggy Lake and Melville Lake to critical desert lifelines like Rock Corral Spring and Two Hole Spring. To the south, the terrain climbs sharply into the San Bernardino National Forest, where high points like Granite Peak and Tip Top Mtn oversee a network of deep-cut drainages including Arrastre Canyon and Bighorn Canyon. Human presence is marked by isolated outposts like Parson Ranch and scattered mining activity indicated by several shafts near the Fry Mountains. This document captures the remote character of the high desert before modern expansion, preserving the locations of springs and seasonal lakes that were vital for early travelers and cattlemen in San Bernardino County.