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1959 Map of Sweeney Pass

Name: 1959 Topographic Map of Sweeney Pass
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1985
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1985

About this map

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park dominates this 1959 topographic record of southeastern San Diego County, revealing a landscape defined by its historic transportation corridors and specialized desert environments. The Old Overland Stage Route skirts the Carrizo Badlands in the north, while the Vallecito Sweeney Pass Road descends through the center toward the San Diego and Arizona Eastern railroad tracks. These routes highlight the region's role as a gateway between the desert floor and the coastal ranges.

Local history is preserved in landmarks such as the Bow Willow Ranger Sta and the Mountain Palm Springs Area, where specific groves like Pygmy and Marys are identified. To the south, the Dos Cabezas Mine and a Quarry near the Volcanic Hills point to the area's geological and extractive history. This survey provides a precise look at the convergence of the Jacumba Mountains and In-Ko-Pah Mountains before modern desert recreation fully transformed the back country.