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1950 Map of Vidal

Name: 1950 Topographic Map of Vidal
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1950
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1950

About this map

The Colorado River Aqueduct carves through the arid landscape of the Mojave Desert, serving as a critical piece of mid-century water infrastructure. This survey captures a remote region defined by the intersection of industrial ambition and harsh terrain, where the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroad follows the San Bernardino Base Line toward the river valley. Sparse settlements like Vidal and the Vidal Junction (Plant Quarantine Station) highlight the area's role as a transit and monitoring point for travelers entering California.

Mining history is etched into the mountain slopes, with named prospects such as the Jacklin Mine, Jean Mine, and Gold Rice Mine scattered across the West Riverside Mountains and Riverside Mountains. The map also records small-scale community markers, including a lone Cem near the railroad tracks and the settlement of Grommet, providing essential locations for genealogists and researchers tracing the history of desert mining camps and railway outposts.