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1957 Map of Vista

Name: 1957 Topographic Map of Vista
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1959
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1959

About this map

Sparks serves as the industrial and residential anchor at the western edge of this mid-century survey, where the grid of the city meets the Truckee River floodplain. The landscape is defined by the vital movement of water and freight, with the Southern Pacific tracks and Irrigation Ditch systems like the Orr Ditch cutting through the meadows. To the south, the Dominican Brothers Monastery stands near the confluence of Steamboat Creek, illustrating the local institutional presence alongside industrial infrastructure like the Sewage Disposal plant and numerous oil tanks.

The eastern portion of the map climbs into the Virginia Mountains, where the terrain shifts from the agricultural Spanish Springs Valley to a more industrial and transit-oriented corridor. Small settlements and sidings such as Vista, Mustang, and Hafed dot the rail line as it snakes through the canyon. Notable aviation and communication landmarks, including Airway Beacon 19 and the Radio Towers (KOH), highlight the area's role in the regional transportation and media networks of the late 1950s.