Loading map...

1953 Map of Grays Well NE

Name: 1953 Topographic Map of Grays Well NE
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1955
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1955

About this map

The All American Canal dominates the northern landscape of this survey, cutting a straight industrial path through the drifting Sand Hills of Imperial County. This vital water artery represents the massive engineering efforts of the mid-20th century to reclaim the desert, running parallel to the United States Mexico border. To the east, the terrain shifts into the flat expanse of Pilot Knob Mesa, showing a stark contrast between the active dune fields and the stable desert pavement.

In the southeast corner, the Colorado River serves as a multi-jurisdictional boundary where California, Arizona, and Baja California meet. Here, the infrastructure of the Southern Pacific railroad and a protective Levee support the nearby Cocopah Indian Reservation. The map captures a moment when international water rights and transit corridors were firmly established, framing the intersection of the Mexico United States line with the river's winding course.