1945 Map of Picacho

About this map

Mining operations and river crossings define this stretch of the Lower Colorado River during the mid-1940s. The landscape is dominated by the Chocolate Mountains and Trigo Mountains, which hem in a series of hard-rock prospects including the Red Cloud Mine, Dives Mine, and the Golden Dream Mine near the riverbank. Evidence of early industrial processing remains at the Clip Mill Site, while further north, the Adobe Ruins mark an older presence on the land. Settlement is sparse, limited to family-named outposts like Draper Ranch and Hoge Ranch. Navigation and transport are anchored by traditional river points such as Hoge Ferry and Nortons Landing, providing critical transit between Imperial County, California and Yuma County, Arizona. The southern end of the sheet shows the expanding reach of the Imperial Reservoir as it backs into the desert washes.