1955 Map of Laguna Dam

About this map

The Colorado River and Gila River converge in a complex hydraulic landscape of the mid-1950s, defined by the sophisticated irrigation and military infrastructure of the Arizona-California border. This survey details the Yuma Test Station Military Reservation and the sprawling Imperial National Wildlife Refuge, where Mittry Lake sits alongside the massive All American Canal. The human history of the region is traced through the remnants of the Butterfield Stage Route and the presence of the Southern Pacific railroad. Mining activity is evident at the Los Flores Mine and Trio Mine, while the small settlement of Gila City and the Laguna Cem provide valuable points for genealogical research. The map captures a moment when the desert was being actively reshaped by the North Gila Valley Canal and Wellton-Mohawk Canal systems.