1953 Map of Ajo

About this map

The copper-mining center of Ajo and its massive New Cornelia Mine anchor this mid-century portrait of the Sonoran Desert. The landscape is defined by the sharp transition from the irrigated corridor of the Gila River and the Southern Pacific railroad in the north to the protected wildlands of the south. Vast tracts of the Papago Indian Reservation cover the eastern half, including traditional settlements such as Wahak Hotrontk (San Simon Indian Village) and Vaya Chin. The southwestern portion highlights the scale of government land management during the Cold War, showing the Luke Air Force Range and Cabeza Prieta Game Range abutting the international border. From the isolated Vekol Mine in the east to the Mohawk Valley in the west, this map details a region of seasonal washes and remote wells like Baragan Well and Stanwix Windmill.