1959 Map of Spirit Mtn NW

About this map

Lake Mohave dominates this 1950s desert landscape, following the course of the Colorado River along the Nevada and Arizona border. The map captures a transitional moment in the development of the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, where the rising waters behind Davis Dam have filled the lower reaches of Cottonwood Valley. At Cottonwood Cove, the shoreline begins to take its modern shape, supported by a remote Landing Strip on the Arizona side of the reservoir. To the west, the arid terrain rises toward Black Mtn, dissected by drainage systems like Nellis Wash. This survey provides a precise record of the shoreline's maximum elevation and the jurisdictional boundaries between Clark County, Nevada, and Mohave County, Arizona, before more intensive recreational infrastructure was established.