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1964 Map of El Centro

Name: 1964 Topographic Map of El Centro
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1964
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1964

About this map

Imperial Valley agriculture and the extensive water engineering required to sustain it dominate this mid-century landscape. The intricate network of the All American Canal, Coachella Canal, and the East Highline Canal feeds the agricultural corridor from Brawley down to Calexico at the Mexican border. East of these fertile grounds, the Sand Hills and West Mesa provide a stark transition into military territory, with large tracts dedicated to the U S Naval Gunnery Range and U S Naval Impact Range.

Across the Colorado River in Arizona, the Yuma Test Station and Williams Bombing and Gunnery Range cover vast portions of the Yuma Desert. In the vicinity of Yuma, the map captures the confluence of the Gila River and Colorado River, a critical junction for the Southern Pacific railroad. More remote features include the Imperial County Tuberculosis Sanatorium, the Picacho Mine, and the Kofa Game Range, illustrating the diverse uses of this arid borderland from healthcare to heavy industry.