1943 Map of Brawley

About this map

Brawley, Imperial, and El Centro anchor this highly engineered agricultural landscape in the Imperial Valley during the mid-1940s. The map illustrates a dense, artificial vascular system of irrigation and drainage essential for desert cultivation, featuring the Westside Main Canal and a grid of named channels like Thistle Canal and Dogwood Canal. The New River meanders north toward the Salton Sea, contrasting with the rigid geometry of the surrounding fields and the Southern Pacific rail lines. Rural life is marked by a network of local schools, including Lantana Sch. and Elm Sch, which served the scattered farmsteads of the era. The infrastructure of the agricultural economy is further evidenced by rail stops like Grape Siding and the presence of the Holton Interurban line, reflecting the logistical complexity of transporting valley produce to distant markets.