1956 Map of Thermal Canyon

About this map

The Coachella Canal defines the lower-elevation landscape of this mid-1950s survey, marking a stark boundary between the irrigated agricultural lands and the arid rises of the Mecca Hills. Director of Water Resources Harvey O. Banks and Governor Goodwin J. Knight are credited during this era of massive desert water management projects, which are visible here through an extensive network of aqueducts, pipelines, and a prominent levee system designed to protect the Coachella Valley floor. In the uplands of the Little San Bernardino Mts, the terrain is carved by steep drainages like West Double Canyon and East Double Canyon. Small-scale industrial activity is evidenced by the Yellow Adit 1 and several gravel pits, while the winding Jeep Trail provides the primary access through the Yellow Spots Canyon and Fargo Canyon.