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1959 Map of Rabbit Peak

Name: 1959 Topographic Map of Rabbit Peak
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1961
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1961

About this map

The Santa Rosa Mountains dominate this 1959 landscape, where high summits like Rabbit Peak and Villager Peak overlook the deep basin of the Coachella Valley. To the east, the shoreline of the Salton Sea meets the grid of the Torres Martinez Indian Reservation, where intensive desert irrigation is visible through numerous artesian wells and the Anza Ditch. The transition from the agricultural efforts around Oasis to the arid expanse of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park reveals a land of extremes, defined by water scarcity and complex drainage patterns like Arroyo Salada and Wonderstone Wash.

Resource extraction and desert travel are documented through the Calcite Mine and several gravel pits, while the era's recreational and residential expansion is marked by settlements such as Desert Shores and Coolidge Springs. Notable landmarks for desert navigators include Travertine Rock, the Borrego Badlands, and isolated water sources such as Seventeen Palms and Fish Springs. The presence of the Palo Verde Ranger Station and various gaging stations underscores the active management of this challenging environment during the mid-century.