1940 Map of Iris

About this map

The Southern Pacific railroad cuts a diagonal line across this landscape, linking remote stops like Iris, Tortuga, and Amos within the arid terrain. To the west, a highly organized grid of irrigation canals and roads supports the agricultural development of the Imperial Valley. These water features, ranging from the Coachella Canal to specific laterals like the Marigold Canal and Mulberry Canal, reveal a massive effort to transform the desert into productive land.