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1942 Map of El Centro

Name: 1942 Topographic Map of El Centro
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1942
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1942

About this map

The All American Canal and its Coachella Branch dominate the agricultural landscape of the Imperial Valley, illustrating the massive irrigation infrastructure required for settlement during the early 1940s. Centered on El Centro, the map reveals a dense network of country schools such as Mesquite Sch and Meloland Sch that served the growing farming communities of Imperial, Brawley, and Holtville.

South of the border, the terrain shifts dramatically from the irrigated fields to the geologic features of Lower California. The Sierra De Los Cucapas and Sierra Mayor rise above the Rio Hardy and Rio Pescadores drainage systems. Notable industrial and geologic landmarks include the Pacific Portland Cement Company Railroad serving Plaster City and the distinct volcanic landscape of Cerro Prieto Crater and Burdick Volcano near Laguna De La Volcanes. This survey provides a look at the binational rail connections of the era, including the National Railways of Mexico and the Southern Pacific (Inter-California).