1953 Map of Ajo

About this map

Industrial copper operations at the New Cornelia Mine and Ajo Mine anchor this mid-century portrait of the Sonoran desert south of the Gila River. The landscape is a study in contrasting land use, from the expansive Luke Air Force Range and Yuma Proving Ground to the traditional settlements of the Papago Indian Reservation. Along the northern edge, the Southern Pacific railroad connects small stopovers like Sentinel, Dateland, and Tacna, following the corridor of the Mohawk Canal. To the south, the terrain becomes increasingly complex as it rises into the Mohawk Mountains and Growler Mountains, eventually reaching the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument at the border with Sonora. Local history is preserved in the names of remote desert outposts and tribal villages like Gu Achi (Santa Rosa) and Wahak Hotrontk.