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1955 Map of Mecca

Name: 1955 Topographic Map of Mecca
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1957
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1957

About this map

Agricultural development and intricate water management systems define this mid-century desert landscape at the northern edge of the Salton Sea. The settlement of Mecca serves as a hub, positioned along the Southern Pacific railroad and surrounded by a grid of numbered avenues and streets that intersect the arid terrain. The map captures the vital infrastructure of the Coachella Valley, including the Coachella Canal, the Coachella Valley Storm Water Channel, and the winding course of the Whitewater River.

Large portions of the territory are designated as the Torres Martinez Indian Reservation and the Cabezon Indian Reservation, illustrating the complex land divisions of Riverside County. To the northeast, the dramatic topography of the Mecca Hills rises sharply, marked by deep incisions like Painted Canyon and Box Canyon. Scattered Duck Ponds and reservoirs near the shoreline of the Salton Sea point to the region's historical role in bird conservation and irrigation-based farming.