1943 Map of Tubac

About this map

Santa Cruz River valley life in the late 1930s is anchored by the historic mission grounds at Tumacacori National Monument and the established settlement of Tubac. This territory along the Southern Pacific railroad line shows a landscape defined by cattle ranching and early highway travel, with the Tucson-Nogales Highway following the river corridor north toward San Ignacio De La Canoa. Away from the valley floor, the terrain rises into the Coronado National Forest, where high points like Sardina Peak and Dicks Peak overlook a network of canyons and seasonal drainages. Local education and rural infrastructure are evidenced by the Sopori Sch near Sopori Wash and the Calabasas Sch to the south. Small family-named holdings such as Santa Lucia Ranch and Moyza Ranch appear alongside various wells and tanks, reflecting the vital importance of water management in this arid stretch of the borderlands.