{"product_id":"old-map-of-saguaro-lake-arizona-by-usgs-1906-salt-river-ft-mcdowell-tonto-national-forest","title":"Old Map of Saguaro Lake, Arizona by USGS, 1906 – Salt River, Ft. McDowell \u0026 Tonto National Forest","description":"\u003cp\u003eTitled “Ft. McDowell,” this finely detailed U.S. Geological Survey topographical map was published in 1948 using survey data first collected in 1906, creating a compelling dialogue between Arizona’s early twentieth-century landscape and its mid-century cartographic interpretation. Centered on the country around Saguaro Lake and the Salt River, the map presents a rugged Sonoran world of ridges, washes, trails, and broken mountain forms. Its 1:62,500 scale allows both regional breadth and intimate terrain reading, while the contour lines and shaded relief give the country a sculptural quality. Here, the land is not merely named but measured: every rise, drainage, and valley is rendered as part of a larger geographic story shaped by water, desert, and altitude.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe map was produced by the U.S. Geological Survey, an institution whose work helped define the scientific mapping of the American West. Founded in 1879, the USGS brought a new rigor to landscapes that had often been described through exploration narratives, military reconnaissance, or local knowledge. In “Ft. McDowell,” that federal precision is evident in the disciplined contouring, the careful placement of roads and trails, and the balanced depiction of natural and human features. The map belongs to a tradition of topographic sheets designed not simply for navigation, but for understanding terrain as a system—geology, hydrology, settlement, and access all brought together in one authoritative visual field.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSaguaro Lake is the great geographic presence of the map, held within the dramatic corridor of the Salt River east of the Phoenix basin. The lake’s modern identity is inseparable from the Salt River Project and the construction of Stewart Mountain Dam, which transformed a river valley into one of central Arizona’s defining reservoirs. Around its shores, the map records a landscape of steep slopes, side canyons, and sinuous waterlines, where desert mountains press closely against the river. Roads and trails trace the practical routes by which this country could be entered, while the surrounding contours reveal how abruptly the land rises away from the water into ridges, mesas, and high desert uplands.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeyond the lake, the map opens onto a richly textured Arizona interior: Ft. McDowell, the McDowell Mountains, Stewart Mountain, Mount Ord, the Marten Hills, and the broader lands associated with Tonto National Forest. These names evoke overlapping histories of Indigenous presence, military geography, resource management, ranching, and recreation. The terrain is intricate, with unnamed valleys and peaks given form through dense contour work rather than decorative embellishment. Elevation is the map’s true language. Closely spaced lines announce steep escarpments and mountain flanks; wider intervals suggest gentler valleys and open desert floors. The result is a powerful visual record of a landscape where aridity, altitude, and erosion shape every route and settlement.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a historical document, “Ft. McDowell” is especially evocative because it captures a region poised between older desert geographies and the engineered water landscapes that came to define modern Arizona. The 1906 survey framework recalls a time before the full development of reservoirs, recreation corridors, and expanding metropolitan influence, while the 1948 imprint places the sheet in the postwar era, when roads, land management, and water infrastructure were increasingly reshaping the Southwest. Saguaro Lake has since become a focal point for boating, fishing, and desert recreation, but this map preserves the deeper structure beneath that modern use: the Salt River’s course, the mountain barriers, and the enduring topography that made development both possible and difficult.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eCities, towns and places on this map\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSaguaro Lake\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSalt River\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFt. McDowell\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMcDowell Mountains\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStewart Mountain\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTonto National Forest\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMount Ord\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMarten Hills\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eVarious unnamed valleys and peaks\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRoads and trails surrounding Saguaro Lake\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNearby water features and landscapes marked with contour lines\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eHistorical context \u0026amp; cartographic details\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHistorical 1:62,500 topographical map of Arizona and the surrounding area.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSurvey data was collected in 1906, with the map published in 1948.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProduced by the U.S. Geological Survey, a major American scientific mapping agency.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUses contour lines to represent elevation and terrain variation.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIncludes color shading to indicate relief.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShows detailed topographical character, including varied elevations and rugged terrain.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReflects the landscape of Arizona in the early 20th century.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOffers insight into geographic and environmental changes since its publication.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDocuments an area that has seen significant later development.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLooking for a particular place?\u003c\/strong\u003e Review the detailed images to confirm that the town, landmark or feature you have in mind appears on the map. If you are unsure, \u003ca target=\"”_blank”\" href=\"\/fr\/pages\/contact-us\"\u003eask our workshop to check before you order\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDetailed maps are especially rewarding at larger sizes, where names, boundaries and decorative features have more room to be appreciated. Use the close-up preview and size guide to choose the right scale for your wall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis map looks amazing at sizes all the way up to 50in (125cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please \u003ca href=\"\/fr\/pages\/contact-us\"\u003eget in touch\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe model in the listing images is holding the 16x20in (40x50cm) version of this map.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhere personalisation is available, you can add a short title or dedication, mark one meaningful place, or request one considered visual detail. \u003ca target=\"”_blank”\" href=\"\/fr\/pages\/map-personalisation\"\u003eSee personalised map examples\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eEvery piece is printed to museum-grade archival standards using fade-resistant pigment inks on acid-free matte paper. Choose an unframed map print, framed map or canvas using the finish options above. Framed maps use crystal-clear optical acrylic and arrive ready to hang.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWith its rich detail and strong sense of place, this map makes a considered gift for a new home, anniversary, retirement or anyone with a personal connection to the area shown. Still deciding? Explore our collection of \u003ca target=\"”_blank”\" href=\"\/fr\/collections\/all-old-vintage-antique-maps\"\u003erare old and vintage maps\u003c\/a\u003e to discover another place, period or style.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Unique Maps Co.","offers":[{"title":"12x16in (30x40cm) \/ Map","offer_id":59901465362816,"sku":null,"price":75.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x16in (30x40cm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":59901465395584,"sku":null,"price":201.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x16in (30x40cm) \/ Framed canvas map","offer_id":59901465428352,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Map","offer_id":59901465461120,"sku":null,"price":75.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":59901465493888,"sku":null,"price":201.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Framed canvas 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