1964 Map of Grays Well NE

About this map

The All American Canal dominates this international border landscape, cutting a straight blue line through the shifting Sand Hills as it moves water across the arid Imperial County desert. Surveyed in the early 1960s, the map reveals a stark contrast between the barren terrain of Pilot Knob Mesa and the burgeoning agricultural development in the Yuma Valley. This southern section of the quadrangle shows the heavy influence of the Colorado River and the complex network of irrigation that defines the region's survival, including the Pesch Canal. The confluence of state and international boundaries is clearly marked, where California, Arizona, and Baja California meet. Infrastructure of the era is represented by the Southern Pacific railroad and the Cocopah Indian Reservation, while the prominence of Pilot Knob serves as a critical landmark for both navigation and surveying in this desert expanse.