1958 Map of Tempe

About this map

The Salt River corridor defines this mid-century landscape, where industrial infrastructure and academic growth meet the desert terrain. At the heart of the sheet, Arizona State College at Tempe sits adjacent to the commercial district, while the rugged silhouettes of Barnes Butte and the Papago State Park dominate the northern view. The map captures a critical period of expansion, evidenced by the extensive network of irrigation canals including the Arizona Canal, Grand Canal, and Western Canal that sustained the valley's agriculture and early suburban development.