1971 Map of Tempe

About this map

Tempe and the surrounding East Valley are captured during a period of rapid suburbanization in this orthophotoquad. The imagery, derived from 1971 aerial photography, reveals the stark contrast between the traditional agricultural grid and the burgeoning residential subdivisions expanding toward Scottsdale and eastern Phoenix. Central to the landscape is the Salt River, which cuts across the quadrangle as a broad, dry bed, flanked by industrial sites and the evolving infrastructure of a growing desert metropolis. This specialized map provides researchers with a photographic record of land use before the density of the late 20th century, showing exactly where citrus groves and fields were being replaced by the neighborhood footprints that define the modern landscape of Maricopa County.