1950 Map of Paulden

About this map

Verde River headwaters emerge in this mid-century survey of Yavapai County, where the desert landscape is defined by ranching, rail, and the rugged drainage of Hell Canyon. The Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroad serves as the primary industrial artery, connecting the community of Drake and its Cedar Glade Ranger Sta to the scattered settlements of Abra and Puro. Water management is central to life in this arid region, evidenced by the Sullivan Lake reservoir and numerous stock tanks like Muldoon Tank and Schwanbeck Tank. The map documents a transition from the agricultural operations at Del Rio Ranch and Stewart Ranch Hdqtrs to the extractive interests shown by an Oil Well and the United States Mine. This record provides a clear look at the Chino Valley prior to late-20th-century development, capturing the layout of remote ranching outposts and high-desert infrastructure.