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1954 Map of Turtle Mountains

Name: 1954 Topographic Map of Turtle Mountains
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1974
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1974

About this map

Turtle Mountains dominate this 1954 survey of the California desert, flanked by the broad reaches of Ward Valley to the west and Chemehuevi Valley to the northeast. Water sources were the vital hubs of movement in this arid landscape, documented here by the presence of Mohawk Spring, Carsons Wells, Coffin Spring, and Martins Well. These features, along with Johnsons Well and Mopah Spring, indicate the historical reliance on isolated water points for transit through the high desert.

Industrial activity is evidenced by scattered Prospects, Tunnels, and a Shaft located in the northern reaches, while the terrain is marked by prominent natural landmarks like Castle Rock, the Mopah Peaks, and the Mopah Range. A network of unpaved travel is shown by a Jeep Trail winding through the southern foothills. This map provides a precise record of desert topography and naming conventions used by the State Of California and federal surveyors during the mid-twentieth century.