Loading map...

1954 Map of Phoenix

Name: 1954 Topographic Map of Phoenix
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1964
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1964

About this map

Phoenix sits at the eastern edge of a vast arid landscape where the Gila River meets the Salt River and Agua Fria River. This mid-century survey illustrates the growth of the Valley of the Sun, with satellite communities like Glendale, Peoria, and Avondale established along the rail lines of the Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe Ry and Southern Pacific RR. Outside the emerging metropolitan area, the map details a rugged interior dominated by the Harquahala Mountains and the Tonopah Desert.

Industrial and military signatures of the era are prominent, from the historic Vulture Mine near Wickenburg to the expansive operations at Luke Air Force Base. The western reaches are characterized by broad plains like the Harquahala Plain and the protected lands of the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge. Regional infrastructure, such as the Painted Rock Reservoir and the Gila River Indian Reservation, highlights the complex management of water and land in the Arizona desert during this period of transition.