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1957 Map of Cortaro

Name: 1957 Topographic Map of Cortaro
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1959
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1959

About this map

The Santa Cruz River valley north of Tucson defines this landscape, where the Southern Pacific railroad and Casa Grande Highway facilitate the growth of agricultural and ranching hubs like Marana and Rillito. The valley floor is heavily influenced by the presence of Cortaro Farms and the Cortaro Ditch, illustrating the intensive irrigation required to sustain cultivation in this arid environment. To the east, the Tortolita Mountains rise above the basin, while the southern portion of the sheet is dominated by the jagged peaks of the Tucson Mountains, including Wasson Peak and Safford Peak.

Cultural landmarks are scattered across the desert, from the Homestead School to a variety of named family cattle operations like the T-Bench-Bar Ranch and M-Z Bar Ranch. Historical mining activity is concentrated in the southern uplands, where the Busterville Mine, Gila Monster Mine, and Thunderbird Mine highlight the region's extraction history. These foothills also contain early recreational sites within Tucson Mountain Park, such as the Ez-Kim-In-Zan Recreational Area and several named picnic grounds, marking the early integration of the landscape into public leisure.