1973 Map of Westend

About this map

Industrial operations along the western edge of Searles Lake define this 1970s landscape, where the extraction of minerals from the dry lake bed shaped the local economy. The settlements of Argus, South Trona, and Westend are clustered along the Trona Railway, supporting the complex network of Industrial Waste Ponds, tailings, and an aqueduct that fueled desert industry. Further west, the terrain rises into the Argus Range, much of which falls within the restricted boundaries of the China Lake Naval Weapons Center. A fascinating relic of earlier transportation history is visible in the Dismantled Monorail trace near the Salt Well. From the historic Borosolvay location to the winding path of Poison Canyon, the map illustrates a rugged intersection of military reservation, specialized mining, and remote desert outposts like Skytop.