1952 Map of Laveen

About this map

Maricopa Village and the surrounding desert landscape of the Gila River Indian Reservation are captured here in a 1952 study updated with early 1970s revisions. This area south of Phoenix reveals a network of indigenous settlements and agricultural infrastructure, centered on the confluence of the Gila River and the Santa Cruz River wash. The map details the educational and spiritual life of the community at St Johns Indian Sch and Komatke, while tracing the early residential clusters at Co-op Village and Gila Crossing. The transition from the flat river valley to the prominent peaks of the South Mountain Park and the rugged northern reach of the Sierra Estrella is clearly defined, showing how the topography dictated the placement of gravity-fed irrigation like the Western Canal and various Diversion Dikes.