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1952 Map of Phoenix

Name: 1952 Topographic Map of Phoenix
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1960
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1960

About this map

The Salt River corridor serves as the central axis for this mid-century view of the Salt River Valley, where irrigation infrastructure like the Grand Canal and Buckeye Canal supports a landscape transitioning between agriculture and urban expansion. In the south, the massive expanse of South Mountain Park looms over small rural clusters such as Laveen and Komatke, while the Phoenix Proving Grounds occupies a significant portion of the desert floor to the southeast.

The urban core of Phoenix is densely detailed with numerous educational institutions including Phoenix Jr College, Carver H S, and West Phoenix High Sch. Further west, the map records established farming settlements like Cartwright and Fowler along Indian School Road. Near the confluence of the Salt and Gila River, the landscape remains largely defined by the Gila Crossing and St Johns Indian Sch, highlighting the intersection of indigenous land and the growing metropolitan infrastructure centered around the Municipal Airport.