1952 Map of Agua Dulce

About this map

Oasis and its surrounding desert valley landscape are documented here at a transitional moment of post-war development in the early 1950s. The map illustrates the harsh contrast between the arid Santa Rosa Mtns and the low-lying Coachella Valley, where life clustered around water sources and transportation routes. Infrastructure for early travelers is evident at the Oasis Maintenance Sta and the Salton Sea Service Sta, while local industry and education are represented by the Flemming Saw Mill and Oasis Sch. This region, crossing the boundaries of Riverside, San Diego, and Imperial Counties, relied heavily on natural water features such as Seventeen Palms Spring and Fish Springs. The intricate network of washes, including Arroyo Salado and Gravel Wash, reveals the hydraulic history of the desert floor leading toward the Salton Sea.