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1997 Map of Thatcher

Name: 1997 Topographic Map of Thatcher
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2002
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2002

About this map

The Gila River corridor near Thatcher and Central defines this late-twentieth-century landscape, where a complex irrigation system including the Highline Canal and numerous siphons supports the valley's agricultural base. Education and community life are anchored by Eastern Arizona Jr College and the local Rodeo Grounds, while the Union Pacific rail line provides a transit backbone through the settlements.

South of the valley floor, the terrain rises sharply into the Coronado National Forest and the Pinaleno Mountains. This transition from the developed lowlands to the elevated Frye Mesa is marked by a network of water management features, including the Cluff Reservoir No 1 and Riggs Reservoir, which capture runoff from mountain canyons like Frye Canyon and Deadman Canyon. The map preserves the spatial relationship between the historic community of Smithville and the expanding residential footprints of the era.