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1949 Map of Trona

Name: 1949 Topographic Map of Trona
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1975
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1975

About this map

Searles Lake and the Argus Range dominate this late 1940s landscape, illustrating the industrial and geological isolation of the California desert. The settlement of Trona serves as the focal point, connected to the wider world by the Trona Railway, which skirts the edge of the Borax Flat. This salt-crust basin was a primary source of mineral extraction, as evidenced by the specialized infrastructure and small outposts like Pioneer Point and Argus.

Beyond the lakebed, the terrain rises sharply into the mountains, where a network of steep canyons—such as Bainter Canyon and Rattlesnake Canyon—harbors numerous small-scale mining operations and critical water sources like Indian Joe Spring and Sweetwater Creek. The presence of the Naval Reservation and the Trona Airport reflect the mid-century intersection of mineral industry and military utility in this remote corner of Inyo and San Bernardino counties.