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1956 Map of Tucson

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Tucson
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1973
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1973

About this map

The Santa Cruz River valley serves as the central corridor for this 1950s-era landscape, where the growing city of Tucson is bounded by the Santa Catalina Mountains and the Saguaro National Monument. This survey reveals a region transitioning from its deep indigenous and colonial roots, represented by the San Xavier del Bac Mission and several tribal villages like Tat Momoli, toward a modern era of military and industrial expansion. The presence of the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base and the Sahuarita Bombing And Gunnery Range highlights the Cold War-era strategic importance of the Arizona desert.

Further north, the agricultural and mining patterns of Pinal County emerge near Casa Grande and the Casa Grande Ruins Nat Mon. The industrial footprint is marked by the Silver Bell Mine and the San Manuel Smelter, which are tied to the regional economy by the Southern Pacific railroad. The map meticulously documents the network of desert washes, such as Brawley Wash and Aguirre Wash, which define the drainage of the vast flats between these rising mountain ranges.