1948 Map of Tucson

About this map

The University of Arizona anchor the northern edge of this post-war landscape, where Tucson begins its rapid mid-century expansion into the surrounding desert. The city's grid, featuring arterial roads like East Speedway and East Broadway, transitions into the vast U S Military Reservation and the active Davis-Monthan Field. To the south, the San Xavier Indian Reservation preserves a distinct cultural geography along the Santa Cruz River, dotted with landmarks such as Yaqui Village and the San Xavier Sanitarium. The era's transportation network is defined by the Southern Pacific railroad lines, which service small outposts and ranches like Esmond and Felix Ranch. This survey captures the region just before the suburban boom, showing a landscape still defined by isolated schools like St Josephs Academy and rural holdings such as Oro Verde Farms.