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1973 Map of Red Buttes

Name: 1973 Topographic Map of Red Buttes
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1976
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1976

About this map

Edwards Air Force Base dominates this Mojave Desert landscape, serving as a critical environment for the Air Force Flight Test Center during the early 1970s. The map illustrates the specialized infrastructure required for aerospace development, including a Tracking Station, Observation Tower, and multiple designated targets across the high desert floor.

Beyond the military installations, the terrain is marked by distinctive volcanic features like Red Buttes and Haystack Butte. Evidence of local resource extraction and transit is found in the Princess Pat Mine Road, a Quarry, and various Jeep Trails that traverse the arid flats. The presence of the Sun Hill Ranch Airport in the southeast corner provides a contrast between private aviation and the large-scale military operations that define this region.