1968 Map of San Xavier Mission

About this map

The San Xavier del Bac Mission stands as a focal point of this late 1960s survey, situated along the Santa Cruz River at the edge of the San Xavier Indian Reservation. This landscape is a study in contrasting land use, where centuries-old spiritual and cultural sites meet the expanding footprint of the Arizona mining industry. To the west, Black Mountain dominates the terrain, while the southern reaches of the map show the industrial scale of the Pima Mine Road corridor. The presence of significant Tailings Ponds, a large Mine Dump, and a Powder Magazine indicates the intensive mineral extraction occurring just outside the reservation boundary. Between these industrial and cultural zones, the Santa Cruz Valley is etched with numerous Jeep Trails and wells, reflecting the ongoing search for water in this arid environment.