1952 Map of Mule Wash

About this map

The Colorado River serves as the focal point of this desert landscape, delineating the approximate boundary between California and Arizona in the early 1950s. The western edge of the map reveals the irrigation-focused topography of the Palo Verde Valley, where human activity is marked by a remote Landing Strip and a network of levees and canals. In stark contrast, the eastern portion of the survey is dominated by the dry, labyrinthine drainage systems of the Trigo Mountains. Extensive ephemeral waterways like Mule Wash, Petes Wash, and the evocatively named Crazy Woman Wash weave through the arid terrain. Transportation in this era was limited to rugged jeep trails and the unpaved Cibola Road, illustrating the isolation of the region before modern infrastructure expanded along the river corridor.