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1943 Map of Maricopa

Name: 1943 Topographic Map of Maricopa
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1943
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1943

About this map

Industrial expansion defines the landscape of Maricopa during the early 1940s, as the War Department and Corps of Engineers documented this vital oil-producing region. The map reveals an intricate network of energy infrastructure, including the Norwalk Oil Co Refinery, Standard Oil Gas Plant No 31 E, and multiple Oil Sump sites. This concentration of industrial activity is supported by a robust transportation and utility grid, notably the Sunset Railway and lines belonging to Pacific Gas and Electric Co.

Beyond the industrial core, the terrain transitions into the Maricopa Range and the Elkhorn Plain. Small settlements and company towns like Hazelton, Kerto, and Spellacy are tucked between the hills and the Midway Valley. The presence of the West Side Water Co and Western Water Co underscores the intensive water management required to sustain these remote operations in the arid corridor between Sunset Valley and the Elkhorn Hills.