1954 Map of Midway Well NW

About this map

The All American Canal dominates this arid landscape in the mid-1950s, cutting a precise industrial line across the East Mesa just north of the international border. This engineering feat brought irrigation to the desert, supporting isolated agricultural efforts like Experimental Farm No 1. The map reveals the infrastructure required to manage water in such a climate, including the Water Tank and hydroelectric markers such as Power Drop No 4 and Power Drop No 3. North of the canal, the terrain is defined by shifting Sand Dunes, while to the south, the boundary between the United States and Mexico is clearly delineated. This survey captures a moment when California's ambitious water projects were actively reshaping the Imperial Valley borderlands, punctuated only by a solitary Jeep Trail winding through the sand.