1967 Map of Palmerita Ranch

About this map

Santa Maria River valley life in the late 1960s is defined by the transition between water and desert, most notably at the Alamo Reservoir where the spillway elevation is carefully recorded. The settlement of Palmerita and the Palmerita Ranch provide a rare human footprint in this arid landscape, accompanied by a small Cem and a nearby Landing Strip. The map reveals a reliance on isolated water sources like Grapevine Springs and various unnamed wells and springs scattered along Valencia Wash and Date Creek. A network of Jeep Trails snakes through the topography, connecting an isolated Mine to the river valley. This survey captures the border region of Mohave and Yuma counties just as modern water management was reshaping the desert floor.