1958 Map of El Centro

About this map

Irrigated agriculture and desert industry define this mid-century portrait of the Imperial Valley. Extensive water infrastructure, including the All American Canal and Coachella Canal, transforms the arid landscape between El Centro and the Colorado River. To the east, the map details the rugged mining and military geography of the Chocolate Mountains and the Yuma Proving Ground. Significant rail corridors like the Southern Pacific Railroad and the San Diego and Arizona Eastern Railway connect border towns like Calexico and San Luis to broader regional markets. The map also documents the expansive military footprints of the era, from U.S. Naval Air Facility El Centro to the massive Luke Air Force Bombing and Gunnery Range stretching across the Lechuguilla Desert. Historic mining operations, such as the Cargo Muchacho Mine and American Girl Mine, are noted near the desert ranges, anchoring the area's extraction history.