1971 Map of Higley

About this map

Williams Air Force Base dominates the eastern portion of this 1971 orthophotoguad, its runways and complex of hangars and barracks forming a sharp geometric contrast to the surrounding landscape. To the west, the settlement of Higley serves as a focal point amidst an extensive network of rectangular agricultural plots. This aerial survey captures the region just as the irrigation-driven farming economy was reaching its peak before further suburban transformation. The Roosevelt Water Conservation District Canal cuts a distinctive diagonal path across the grid, providing the vital water supply required for these desert fields. Near the northeast corner of the air base, the Desert Proving Grounds mark a specialized site of military or industrial testing, tucked against the more irregular, uncultivated terrain that borders the structured farmlands.