1952 Map of Tempe

About this map

The Salt River corridor anchors this 1952 study, showing the rapid post-war suburban transformation of the Valley of the Sun. Irrigation infrastructure remains central to the landscape, with the Arizona Canal, Grand Canal, and Western Canal tracing the historic water-management patterns of the region. The map captures Tempe and Scottsdale before their mid-century population booms, centered around Arizona State University and landmarks like Tempe Butte. The terrain is punctuated by distinctive geological features such as Barnes Butte and Papago Buttes, including the Papago Buttes Botanical Gardens and the Phoenix Military Reservation. To the west, the Arizona State Hospital Farm and Pueblo Grande Museum stand near the industrial stockyards of Tovrea, while several burial grounds, including St Francis Cemetery and Guadalupe Cemetery, provide valuable data for local genealogists.