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1943 Map of Saltdale

Name: 1943 Topographic Map of Saltdale
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1958
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1958

About this map

The Cantil Valley and the El Paso Mountains dominate this 1943 survey, revealing a landscape defined by desert industry and early 20th-century extraction. At the heart of the basin, Koehn Dry Lake is surrounded by specialized rail stops and mining camps, including the salt-harvesting settlement of Saltdale and the Gypsite siding. The Southern Pacific railroad cuts a diagonal line across the valley floor, connecting remote outposts like Cantil and Garlock Sta to the broader regional economy.

Up in the canyons and ridges, the map documents a network of mining operations such as the Holly Mine and Smith Mine, alongside seasonal or laborer habitations like Schmidt Camp and Holland Camp. The presence of the Petrified Forest and the Redrock Sch near Ricardo suggests a community that, while driven by mineral wealth in places like Bonanza Gulch, also maintained civic and natural landmarks in this arid stretch of Kern County.