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1904 Map of Desert Well

Name: 1904 Topographic Map of Desert Well
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1958
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1958

About this map

The Salt River valley southeast of the Salt River Indian Reservation is defined by an emerging network of irrigation and early territorial transit in this 1904 survey. Essential water management systems like the Consolidated Canal and Highland Canal cut through the desert landscape, supporting early outposts like Buchanans Ranch and the community of Higley. The presence of the Desert Well, noted for its specific depth, highlights the critical importance of groundwater for survival and settlement in this arid environment before the expansion of modern infrastructure.

Transportation is dominated by the Santa Fe Prescott and Phoenix RR, which provides a vital link across the Maricopa and Pinal county lines. To the north, the terrain rises into the Usery Mts and Goldfield Mts within the Tonto National Forest. These highlands are marked by isolated features such as Bulldog Spring and Sentinel Hill, contrasting with the surveyed grid of the plains below the Base Line.