1971 Map of Sacaton Butte

About this map

The community of Casa Blanca and the distinctive geological formation of Sacaton Butte define this orthophotoquad in Pinal County. Taken in the early 1970s, the aerial imagery reveals a sharp contrast between the geometric grid of irrigated agricultural fields and the complex drainage patterns of the uncultivated desert terrain. This orthophotomosaic, prepared by the Geological Survey from 1971 photography, provides a literal overhead perspective of land use in the Gila River Indian Reservation area. The imagery captures the exact footprint of early 1970s desert farming practices, showing the clear boundaries between developed croplands and the natural alluvial fans that characterize this part of the Arizona landscape.