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1973 Map of Gila Bend

Name: 1973 Topographic Map of Gila Bend
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1976
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1976

About this map

Gila Bend serves as a critical desert junction in the early 1970s, defined by the convergence of the Southern Pacific railroad and major roadways like U.S. Highway 80. The town is surrounded by a complex landscape of military and tribal lands, including the Gila Bend Indian Reservation to the north and the expansive Luke Air Force Range to the south. Local history is anchored in sites such as San Lucy Village and several burial grounds, including Pioneer Cem and Stout Cem, reflecting generations of settlement along the Gila River corridor.

Institutional and industrial footprints are prominent, from the Gila Bend Air Force Auxiliary Field with its distinct fire station and water towers to the numerous Borrow Pits and gravel operations supporting regional infrastructure. The transition from town streets like Main Street to the open desert of Sand Tank Wash and Bender Wash illustrates the proximity of this transportation hub to the arid Arizona wilderness during this era of mid-century growth.