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1940 Map of Yuma

Name: 1940 Topographic Map of Yuma
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1966
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1966

About this map

The Colorado River and Gila River meet near the growing desert hub of Yuma, defining a complex borderland where Arizona, California, and Mexico converge. This 1940 survey illustrates an intensive irrigation network essential to the region's agricultural development, featuring the Alamo Canal, Main Canal, and West Main Canal which transformed the arid floor of the Yuma Desert. To the west, the Inter-California route and Southern Pacific railroad underscore the area's importance as a transportation corridor.

Local civic life is visible through landmarks such as Crane Sch, Roof Sch, and the Yuma General Hospital. The map also captures smaller peripheral settlements like Somerton, Winterhaven, and Araby, alongside the international border crossings at Andrade and Algodones. Significant natural features like Pilot Knob and Black Hill provide topographic contrast to the engineered landscape of the valley.