1966 Map of Cactus Forest

About this map

Cactus Forest serves as the focal point of this arid Pinal County landscape, situated along the straight path of Cactus Forest Road. The map, reflecting conditions verified through the mid-1960s, illustrates a rural Arizona environment where human presence is defined by essential water management. A series of catchment features, including Cat Hills Tank and Jamieson Tank, are distributed across the terrain, indicating the vital importance of water storage for ranching or local agriculture in this desert setting. The settlement of Paisano sits further south, connected to the surrounding region by Route 89. This infrastructure, alongside natural drainages like Brady Wash, shows how early twentieth-century development followed the contours of the land and the requirements of the climate, creating a network of named tanks and washes that served as critical landmarks for local residents and travelers alike.