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1947 Map of Rosamond Lake

Name: 1947 Topographic Map of Rosamond Lake
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1964
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1964

About this map

Rosamond Lake dominates this 1947 aerial-compiled survey, appearing as a massive dry expanse in the high Mojave Desert. The landscape is defined by the rigid geometry of early desert planning, where a grid of lettered thoroughfares like Avenue C and Avenue E cut across the arid terrain. These surveyed lines represent the systematic subdivision of the Antelope Valley during a period of transition, as military-directed mapping by the U.S. Army Air Forces and the Aeronautical Chart Service provided precise data for this strategic corner of Los Angeles County.

Evidence of local water management and early infrastructure is visible through several labeled reservoirs and the established route of Redman Road. Compiled from 1946 AAF photography, the map captures the vast, undeveloped character of the basin just before post-war growth began to significantly alter the desert floor. The sparse distribution of features underscores the isolation of this salt pan environment during the mid-20th century.