1957 Map of Painted Gorge

About this map

The Coyote Mountains and the colorful topography of Painted Gorge dominate this arid landscape on the edge of the Yuha Desert. This survey captures the region during a period of transition, where historical transit paths like the Old Overland Stage Route intersect with mid-century infrastructure such as the San Diego and Arizona Eastern railroad. The map reveals the extensive use of the desert for military and technological testing, evidenced by the large Recovery Parachute Test Range and the Carrizo Impact Area within the Anza Borrego Desert State Park. Along the southern washes like Coyote Wash and Palm Canyon Wash, various gravel pits and a dedicated Mining Railroad on West Mesa point to the industrial extraction of materials that fueled regional growth and development through the late 1950s.