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1947 Map of Rich

Name: 1947 Topographic Map of Rich
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1947
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1947

About this map

Muroc Army Airfield Military Reservation dominates the southern landscape of this mid-century survey, reflecting the intensifying military footprint in the Mojave Desert after the war. The map centers on the critical rail and mining hub of Boron, where the industrial infrastructure of the Pacific Coast Borax Co. Mine & Mill 3 Mi. and the Suckow Borax Co. Mine 3 Mi. are noted as vital regional landmarks. This area served as a nexus for the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroad, which provided the essential transport link for mineral extraction across the arid basins.

Northwest of the Leuhman Ridge, the small settlement of Rich sits at a rail junction, marking a point of transition toward the Antelope Valley. The detailed topography shows a landscape defined by expansive desert washes and isolated ridges, largely partitioned by the Military Reservation (Approximate) boundaries, illustrating the dual identity of this region as both a private industrial resource and a secured defense site.