1959 Map of Borrego Palm Canyon

About this map

San Ysidro Mountain towers over the basin where the desert floor meets the steep granite slopes of the Peninsular Ranges. This mid-century survey documents the transition of Borrego Springs from a remote outpost into a planned desert community. The street layout in the southeast corner around Ocotillo Circle and Verbena Drive shows residential expansion alongside recreation at the De Anza Country Club. Outside the developing town center, the landscape is defined by the massive Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, featuring deep cuts like Palm Canyon and Hellhole Canyon. The survival of these settlements is tied directly to the water sources and infrastructure shown, from the Santa Catarina Spring in Collins Valley to the network of wells and gaging stations necessary for habitation in the arid Borrego Valley.