1958 Map of Wells

About this map

Wells and the surrounding High Desert landscape of Northeastern Nevada are captured here during the mid-1950s, a period defined by the intersecting transcontinental routes of the Southern Pacific and Western Pacific railroads. The map highlights the rugged transition from the Jarbidge Mountains in the north down to the headwaters of the Humboldt River. Significant for local historians is the depiction of Metropolis, once a planned agricultural center, and the rail junction at Cobre. Water management for the region is evident through the presence of Wild Horse Reservoir and Charleston Reservoir, while the extraction economy is represented by the Delno Mines near the Idaho border. The vast tracts of the Humboldt National Forest dominate the mountainous terrain, providing a look at the federal land boundaries and remote outposts like San Jacinto and Contact as they functioned before modern interstate expansion.