1973 Map of Twelve Gauge Lake

About this map

Hawes Auxiliary Airport stands as a prominent fixture in this Mojave Desert landscape, reflecting the region's mid-century aviation infrastructure. The terrain is defined by wide basins like Water Valley and the dry bed of Twelve Gauge Lake, set against the rising slopes of Iron Mountain to the southeast. A grid of planned roads, including Phoenix Rd, Salinas Rd, and El Centro Rd, suggests an era of desert land development and partitioning during the early 1970s. Industrial activity is evidenced by several Mine and Prospect sites scattered across the flats, while major utility corridors marked by pipelines and the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroad traverse the quadrangle. This survey captures a moment when traditional desert transit routes like Harper Lake Road and Helendale Road intersected with modern industrial and military expansion.