The GM Desert Proving Ground ran for decades in Mesa, Arizona. Out in the Sonoran Desert, this was where new cars went to meet the heat—every flaw exposed long before a vehicle hit the showroom. See how this site evolved and explore more infamous proving grounds: buff.ly/LGPKZ5H

In this aerial image from 1952, it appears that only one of the parking areas you highlighted — the large lot on the right — existed back then. That lot was expanded with land drudged from the San Lorenzo River. The other areas were either empty lots, or had buildings that were demolished.

Our earliest image of that intersection is from 1947. Several weird intersections there! What worked back then (extra room, flexible turning, low traffic) doesn’t work so great now (sight-lines, huge crossing distances, strange geometry). Just a legacy of terrain + older design standards.

We’ve officially joined Bluesky! We’re HistoricAerials + NETRonline, where maps, history, and property data meet.

Explore how the land has changed, find what was once there, and get the data that keeps projects moving.

#GIS #EnvironmentalData historicaerials.com netronline.com