Loading map...

1961 Map of Skull Mountain

Name: 1961 Topographic Map of Skull Mountain
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1983
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1983

About this map

The Nevada Test Site dominates this landscape, showing a unique intersection of Cold War era infrastructure and the high desert geography of Nye County. Established in cooperation with the Atomic Energy Commission, the map reveals specific restricted zones including Area 400 and Area 401. These parcels are tied together by a network of unimproved routes like Cane Spring Road and an Underground Telephone Line, reflecting the area's development for nuclear research and testing.

Among the geological features of Skull Mountain and Kiwi Mesa, the map identifies the Wahmonie (Site), a former mining camp that had become a relic by the time of this 1961 field check. Modern markers of the era's atomic activity are explicitly labeled, such as a Radioactive Waste Dump near Jackass Flats. This record preserves a moment when the desert was repurposed for massive technical and industrial operations, while natural landmarks like Cane Spring remained critical points on the map.