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1915 Map of Maricopa

Name: 1915 Topographic Map of Maricopa
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1915
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1915

About this map

The Gila River Indian Reservation and Papago Indian Reservation dominate this desert landscape, where the confluence of the Gila River and Santa Cruz River once shaped regional movement. In this early twentieth-century survey, the shift from older desert outposts to rail-oriented towns is clearly visible. The map records the location of Maricopa Wells (Abandoned), a critical water stop on the old southern wagon road that was bypassed as transportation patterns evolved.

The Southern Pacific railroad runs east-west across the central plains, establishing new hubs at Maricopa, Heaton, and Enid. To the west, the massive peaks of the Sierra Estrella rise sharply, featuring landmarks like Montezuma Pk and Montezumas Head. This era marks the coexistence of indigenous settlements like Pima Village and Sacate alongside the burgeoning infrastructure of the Arizona Eastern (Phoenix Division) line.