1956 Map of Thermal Canyon

About this map

The Coachella Valley unfolds as a study in water management and desert transition during the mid-1950s. The vital path of the Coachella Canal and its associated Wasteway No 2 demonstrate the engineering required to sustain this arid landscape. To the north and east, the elevation rises sharply into the Little San Bernardino Mts and the complex terrain of the Mecca Hills, where the eponymous Thermal Canyon and Double Canyon cut through the desert floor. This edition, updated in the early 1970s, captures the grid-like development of agricultural access roads including Avenue 52 and Pierce Street, which sit in contrast to the natural topography of landmarks like Mesa Hill and Front Hill.