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1952 Map of Fowler

Name: 1952 Topographic Map of Fowler
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1968
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1968

About this map

The agricultural fields and emerging suburban corridors west of Phoenix are documented here during a period of rapid transition. The map centers on the small settlements of Fowler and Santa Maria, while the northern portion shows the community of Cartwright and the expanding footprint of Alhambra. Heavy industry and public utilities are visible on the city's periphery, including an Aluminum Plant, a Sewage Disposal site, and an Incinerator. Educational and community infrastructure is well-represented by facilities like the Murphy Sch No 2, Riverside Sch, and the Maricopa County Juvenile Home and Hospital.

The southern reaches of the map are defined by the convergence of the Salt River and the Gila River, where the Gila River Indian Reservation begins. Irrigation and infrastructure follow the Gila and Salt River Base Line, with the Grand Canal and the Southern Pacific Canal supporting the region's complex water management system. The inclusion of purple-tinted 1967 revisions over the original 1952 data provides an excellent visual record of urban sprawl replacing desert farmland.