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1950 Map of Reno

Name: 1950 Topographic Map of Reno
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1957
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1957

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.

Beyond the city centers, the landscape is defined by its industrial and mining history. The Garden Fleece Mine sits near the Poeville (Site) on the slopes of Peavine Peak, while the northern reaches include a large Military Reservation and the Alkali Flat. Institutional landmarks such as the Reno Fair Grounds, State Hospital, and Skyline Airfield provide specific points of interest for local historians and genealogists tracing the 1950s layout of Washoe County.