1951 Map of Picacho Peak

About this map

The Colorado River serves as the focal point for this mid-century survey of the desert borderlands between California and Arizona. The landscape is defined by its complex hydraulic engineering, featuring the massive All American Canal and the Gila Gravity Main Canal which diverted water to support agriculture in the Yuma Indian Reservation. Beyond the irrigated valleys, the terrain rises sharply into the Picacho Mountains, where the prominent Picacho Peak and the nearby Picacho Mine testify to the region's mineral history. Small settlements such as Bard, Araz, and Ross Corner appear along the Southern Pacific rail line and local canals. Of particular interest to local historians is the location of the Potholes (Site) and the Laguna School (Aband), reflecting the shift in population and infrastructure as water management projects evolved along the river's edge.