{"product_id":"old-map-of-tucson-arizona-1957-by-usgs-south-tucson-davis-monthan-afb-santa-cruz-river","title":"Old Map of Tucson, Arizona, 1957 by USGS – South Tucson, Davis-Monthan AFB \u0026 Santa Cruz River","description":"\u003cp\u003ePublished in 1977 from survey data gathered in 1957, the US Geological Survey’s “Tucson Quadrangle” preserves a finely grained portrait of Tucson, Arizona, at a pivotal moment in its modern growth. At 1:24,000 scale, the map offers the authoritative clarity for which the USGS became renowned, combining scientific precision with a quietly elegant visual language. The city appears in relation to the Santa Cruz River, surrounding neighborhoods, military and aviation infrastructure, railroads, highways, schools, churches, parks, and building footprints. Its distinctive pink tones emphasize developed areas and land-use patterns, while contour lines articulate the basin-and-range terrain that gives Tucson its dramatic desert setting. The result is both a practical topographic document and a historical record of a city poised between postwar expansion and metropolitan transformation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe US Geological Survey, established in 1879, emerged as one of the great mapping institutions of the modern world, charged with documenting the nation’s geology, water systems, natural resources, and hazards. Its quadrangle maps became indispensable tools for engineers, planners, scientists, hikers, and government agencies, translating complex landscapes into standardized, legible sheets of remarkable accuracy. In the “Tucson Quadrangle,” that institutional expertise is visible in every contour, symbol, and annotation. The map’s measured presentation reflects the USGS ideal: an objective, data-rich depiction of land and settlement. Yet beyond its technical authority, it has aesthetic power—the subtle interplay of color, linework, and typography creates a disciplined visual field in which the urban fabric of Tucson can be read almost street by street.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTucson itself dominates the sheet, shown with a density of roads, neighborhoods, public buildings, and civic landmarks that reveals the expanding structure of the mid-twentieth-century city. South Tucson, Mission Manor, La Cholla, and other residential districts appear within a network of local streets, schools, churches, and recreation spaces, documenting everyday urban life with unusual intimacy. Davis-Monthan Air Force Base and Tucson International Airport speak to the city’s strategic aviation importance, while rail lines and major roads, including Interstate 10 and state highways, trace the infrastructure that connected Tucson to the wider Southwest. The map captures a moment when the city was spreading outward across the desert floor, before later decades of growth would further reshape its outskirts and transportation corridors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe topographic character of the map is especially compelling. Tucson lies in a broad desert basin framed by rugged mountains beyond the quadrangle, and the USGS contouring records the subtle rises, washes, and drainage patterns that define the local landscape. The Santa Cruz River, one of the region’s most historically important waterways, threads through the mapped area as both a natural feature and a marker of settlement history. Roads, railroads, and neighborhoods are set against this physical geography, reminding the viewer that Tucson’s urban form has always been shaped by aridity, terrain, and access to water. Woods, open spaces, parks, and recreation areas add further texture, revealing not merely a city plan but an inhabited desert environment in transition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a historical document, the “Tucson Quadrangle” offers a striking window onto southern Arizona in the late 1950s, while its 1977 publication underscores the enduring value of mid-century survey data for mapping and planning. It records Tucson before many later waves of suburban development, freeway expansion, and infrastructural change altered the metropolitan landscape. The map’s careful notation of building footprints, institutional sites, transport routes, and land-use patterns makes it particularly evocative for those interested in urban history, Southwestern geography, or the evolution of Arizona’s desert cities. Its beauty lies in precision: a disciplined cartographic image that transforms streets, contours, rivers, airfields, and neighborhoods into a richly layered portrait of place.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCities, towns and places on this map\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTucson\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDavis Monthan Air Force Base\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTucson International Airport\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLa Cholla\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSouth Tucson\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMission Manor\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eParque De La Ciudad\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSanta Cruz River\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInterstate 10 and various state highways\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRailroads\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eParks and recreation areas\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSchools\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eChurches\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBuilding footprints\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eResidential neighborhoods\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHistorical context \u0026amp; cartographic details\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMap name: Tucson Quadrangle\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProduced by the US Geological Survey as a historical 1:24,000 topographical map of Tucson, Arizona and the surrounding area.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBased on survey data from 1957 and published in 1977.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe US Geological Survey is a scientific agency of the U.S. government, established in 1879, focused on natural resources, natural hazards, and mapping.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUses pink hues to differentiate land uses and highlight built structures.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFeatures contour lines to show elevation changes and terrain.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShows elevation, landforms, woods, and urban development in detail.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReflects the urban landscape and geographical features of Tucson in the late 1950s, before significant changes in urban development and infrastructure.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe use of color and contour lines communicates both elevation changes and urban density.\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=\"\/es\/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=\"\/es\/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=\"\/es\/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=\"\/es\/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":58760902640000,"sku":null,"price":84.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x16in (30x40cm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":58760902672768,"sku":null,"price":225.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x16in (30x40cm) \/ Framed canvas map","offer_id":58760902705536,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Map","offer_id":58760902738304,"sku":null,"price":84.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":58760902771072,"sku":null,"price":225.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Framed canvas 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