1980 Map of Dateland

About this map

Dateland and the surrounding Sonoran Desert landscape are defined by the critical infrastructure corridors of the Southern Pacific railroad and Interstate 8, which parallel the ancient course of the Gila River. This 1980 edition reveals a region dominated by vast military reserves, including the Barry M. Goldwater Air Force Range and the Yuma Proving Ground, which border the agricultural and transit strip. Small trackside settlements like Aztec, Stoval, and Sentinel mark the historical path of travel through the Mohawk Valley. The map detail reaches from the Mohawk Mountains across the Hyder Plain, capturing a period where remote mining operations like the Sheep Mine and Betty Lee Mine persisted alongside aviation landmarks such as the Dateland Airfield and Colfred Airport.