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1951 Map of Blythe

Name: 1951 Topographic Map of Blythe
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1956
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1956

About this map

The Palo Verde Valley is defined here by the sharp contrast between the irrigated desert floor and the winding course of the Colorado River. During the early 1950s, the community of Blythe was undergoing steady growth, evidenced by the development of East Blythe and civic infrastructure like the Jr High School, Palo Verde Hospital, and City Hall. A network of canals and levees dominates the landscape, supporting the region's agricultural transition from arid desert to fertile valley.

Logistics and travel are central to this borderland geography, with the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe RR providing a vital link to the interior. At the river crossing near Ehrenberg, the Arizona Checking Station marks the boundary between California and Arizona. Natural features such as Goodman Slough and various washes, including Cinnabar Wash and Limekiln Wash, cut through the desert terrain east of the river channel.