DESCRIPTION: A scarce 2001 “Silicon Desert” map celebrates Arizona’s emergence as a major technology and semiconductor hub at the dawn of the 21st century. Produced by Silicon Maps Inc. of San Ramon, California, the illustrated map depicts the Phoenix–Tempe–Chandler corridor and Tucson as thriving centers of high-tech industry.
 Map of Silicon Desert. Arizona High-Tech Corridor. 2001.
Dozens of company logos are arranged across a stylized desert landscape featuring Arizona landmarks such as the Grand Canyon, Meteor Crater, and Biosphere II. Major firms including Intel, Motorola, Microchip, ON Semiconductor, Raytheon, and Intuit highlight the state’s strength in electronics, aerospace, software, and defense manufacturing.
Designed as both a promotional artifact and a functional 2001 calendar, the map was sponsored by ON Semiconductor, whose tagline—“Leaders in Broadband and Power Management Solutions”—appears below. The term “Silicon Desert,” echoing “Silicon Valley,” symbolized Arizona’s transition from a resource-based economy to one driven by innovation, research, and technology production. Today, this map stands as a vivid time capsule of Arizona’s booming tech sector at the turn of the millennium, capturing the optimism and industrial energy that defined the era.
The year 2001 was both a peak and a turning point for Arizona’s “Silicon Desert.” It represented the culmination of two decades of rapid technological growth across the Phoenix–Tucson corridor, driven by semiconductor giants like Motorola, Intel, and the newly independent ON Semiconductor, which had spun off from Motorola in 1999. Chandler, Tempe, and Scottsdale were expanding with advanced fabrication plants and research centers, while Raytheon in Tucson anchored the state’s thriving aerospace and defense sector. The “Silicon Desert 2001” map captured this optimism—an Arizona confidently branding itself as a high-tech powerhouse on par with Silicon Valley.
PUBLICATION DATE: 2001
GEOGRAPHIC AREA: United States
BODY OF WATER: N/A
CONDITION: Good.
Light surface wrinkling visible in the paper, primarily from handling and storage; colors remain bright and well preserved.
COLORING: Process color.
ENGRAVER:
SIZE: 20
" x
30 "
ITEM PHYSICAL LOCATION:
PRICE: $400
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