1960 Map of Plutonium Valley

About this map

Nevada Test Site operations define this landscape in the high desert, where the Atomic Energy Commission coordinated intensive activity across Plutonium Valley and the surrounding basins. The map documents the stark infrastructure of mid-century nuclear testing, including multiple Blast Centers, a Bunker, and a Radioactive Waste Dump situated near the Yucca Flat border. These technical sites are positioned between prominent landforms like Massachusetts Mountain and the high point at French Peak. To the east, the Nellis Air Force Range and Raysonde Buttes mark the transition toward the Desert National Wildlife Range. The presence of Area 11, Area 6, and Area 5 designations reflects the military and scientific partitioning of the desert floor, interconnected by a network of unimproved roads and a Jeep Trail system.