1952 Map of Fairbank

About this map

The San Pedro River serves as the central artery for this mid-century survey of the Arizona high desert, where water and transportation shaped the settlement patterns. Near the junction of the Babocomari River, the rail station at Fairbank marks a critical point along the Southern Pacific railroad line. To the south, the settlement of Charleston sits nestled along the riverbanks, shadowed by the Charleston Lead Mine and the eastern fringes of the Fort Huachuca Military Reservation. This topography illustrates a landscape transitioning from ranching operations like the Boquillas Ranch and Lindsey Ranch toward military and mining use. Features like The Three Brothers Hills and the ominous Graveyard Gulch define the arid terrain, providing a look at Cochise County before late-twentieth-century developments altered the character of these historic river outposts.