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1951 Map of Blythe

Name: 1951 Topographic Map of Blythe
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1952
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1952

About this map

Colorado River hydrology and desert irrigation define this mid-century survey of the Palo Verde Valley borderlands. The city of Blythe serves as the central hub, showing a grid established with civic essentials like City Hall, the Jr High School, and Palo Verde Hospital. The landscape is a complex network of levees, canals, and siphons designed to manage the river's flow, contrasting the engineered valley floor against the stark, wash-cut terrain to the east.

Transportation and interstate commerce are centered on the crossing near Ehrenberg, where the Arizona Checking Station and California Checking Sta monitor the flow of traffic across the state line. The Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroad line terminates in the valley, supporting the local agricultural economy. To the west, the Rodeo Grounds and Todd Park provide a glimpse into the mid-century social fabric of this desert community.