1915 Map of El Centro

About this map

The transformation of the Imperial Valley into a major agricultural hub is captured here during the height of the early irrigation era. While the eastern portion of the sheet shows a dense grid of infrastructure, including the West Side Main Canal, Dahlia Canal, and Central Main Canal, much of the surrounding landscape remains labeled as Desert no water. The New River carves a deep path through the valley, passing the established town of Imperial and the border settlement of Calexico. An Ancient beach line sea Level marks the geological history of the Salton Sink, separating the irrigated fields from the stark sands near Superstition Mt. and the Cocopa Mountains. Notable early locations like 101 Ranch, Dixieland, and Silsbee appear alongside critical water sources like Coyote Springs, illustrating the precarious balance of early desert settlement.