1961 Map of Wells

About this map

The high desert of northeastern Nevada is anchored by the settlement of Wells, a critical junction where the Southern Pacific and Western Pacific railroads converge. This 1961 survey illustrates a landscape defined by isolated mountain ranges and the vital water sources that sustained early ranching and mining, such as the East Fork Humboldt River and Marys River. To the north, the remote outpost of Jackpot sits at the Idaho border, while the presence of Metropolis recalls the era's ambitious, often difficult, irrigation projects in the arid basin.