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1944 Map of Calipatria

Name: 1944 Topographic Map of Calipatria
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1952
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1952

About this map

Agricultural development in the Imperial Valley is the defining characteristic of this landscape, dominated by a vast grid of irrigation infrastructure. This network of lateral canals, such as E Lateral and Eleven Lateral, transformed the arid basin into a productive farming region. The Salton Sea dominates the northwest, its shoreline featuring curious geothermal and natural phenomena like the Mud Pots and Obsidian near Pumice Island.

Settlement is anchored by the towns of Calipatria, Niland, and Westmorland, which served as hubs for the surrounding farm laborers and ranch families. Unusual industrial markers like the Dry Ice Wells near the sea indicate specialized resource extraction. Education and social life revolved around rural institutions like North End School and Trifolium School, while the Southern Pacific railroad provided the vital connection for moving crops to distant markets from stops like Hovley Siding.