1950 Map of Reno

About this map

Reno and Sparks anchor this mid-century topographic survey, showing the urban footprint of the Truckee Meadows before the post-war building boom fully reshaped the valley. The map documents an intricate network of irrigation and water management essential to the high desert, including the Steamboat Canal, Last Chance Ditch, and Orr Ditch Road. These features reflect the region's agricultural foundations as they began to give way to suburban development like Chalk Highland and West Reno.