Loading map...

1952 Map of Pima Butte

Name: 1952 Topographic Map of Pima Butte
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1968
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1968

About this map

The Gila River Indian Reservation occupies a significant portion of this Arizona landscape, which is defined by the convergence of desert hydrology and agricultural engineering. The Gila River and the braided channels of the Santa Cruz River dominate the central terrain, while the Santa Cruz River Wash cuts through the southern reaches. The presence of the Hoover Ditch and several Oil Tanks indicates the mid-century infrastructure supporting the local economy.

Rising above the alluvial plains, Pima Butte serves as a prominent landmark on the eastern side of the survey. The settlement pattern is sparse, represented primarily by the Lone Butte Ranch and a remote Corral, reflecting the arid, rural character of Pinal and Maricopa counties during the early 1950s. Aerial photography from 1951 captured the complex network of dry reservoirs and washes that characterize this segment of the Sonoran Desert before later developments altered the surface.