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1952 Map of Maricopa

Name: 1952 Topographic Map of Maricopa
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1957
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1957

About this map

The Maricopa Indian Reservation and Gila River Indian Reservation dominate this mid-century landscape, showing the complex intersection of indigenous land, desert hydrology, and industrial transport. The Southern Pacific railroad cuts a diagonal line across the terrain, accompanied by the Southern Pacific Road, forming a vital corridor for the settlement of Maricopa. This era shows the local economy and infrastructure focused near the tracks, evidenced by the Oil & Gasoline Tanks and storage facilities.

To the south, the settlement at Ak Chin and the St Francis Mission provide a window into the community life of the period. The drainage patterns of Vekol Wash and Santa Cruz Wash define the natural topography, illustrating how water movement dictated the placement of roads and boundaries in the Pinal County desert. Small details like a Cem and an abandoned Water Tank (Aband) offer specific points of interest for genealogists and local historians tracing the evolution of these desert outposts.