1904 Map of Indio

About this map

Southern Pacific rail lines cut a diagonal path through the desert floor, connecting early settlements like Indio and Coachella before the massive expansion of the modern era. This 1904 survey, reprinted in 1917, captures the Coachella Valley and surrounding mountains prior to the significant industrialization of the region. The landscape is defined by its water sources, from the Magnesia Spring and Potrero Spring to the seasonal Clark Lake in the south. In the heights of the Santa Rosa Mountains, mining prospects like the Asbestos Mine and Garnet Queen Mine suggest the early search for mineral wealth. Along the base of the mountains, the map reveals the complex borders of tribal lands, including the Augustin Indian Res. and Toro I.R., alongside small outposts like Figtree John and Mortmere near the Salton Basin.