1940 Map of Iris

About this map

Irrigation infrastructure and military boundaries define this desert landscape, where the Coachella Canal and East High Line Canal cut through the arid terrain. Based on 1940 aerial photography, the map documents a precisely gridded system of lateral canals named for flora, from Nectarine Canal to Magnolia Canal, supporting agricultural efforts near the Alamo River. Small rail-dependent settlements and sidings like Iris, Tortuga, and Flowing Well Siding follow the route of the Southern Pacific railroad, while the eastern portion is dominated by the Chocolate Mountain Aerial Gunnery Range and the Chocolate Mountains. Local social life is anchored by landmarks such as the Mulberry Sch and rural outposts like Munyon. The transition from the cultivated East Mesa to the desert floor of Mammoth Wash reveals the stark divide between human engineering and the natural environment at the start of the 1940s.