1953 Map of Alpaugh

About this map

Alpaugh anchors the southwest corner of this map, revealing a landscape defined by the engineering of the Tulare Lake basin during the mid-20th century. The intricate network of the Alpaugh Irrigation District Canal, Lakeland Canal, and Homeland Levee illustrates the transition of this arid region into a highly managed agricultural zone. The Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroad cuts diagonally across the terrain, connecting small shipping points like Angiola and Stoil to wider markets. While much of the land is dedicated to farming, the presence of the Pixley National Wildlife Refuge and natural drainage features like Deer Creek and Elk Bayou show the remnants of the area's original hydrology. This survey provides a clear view of the infrastructure that sustained Central Valley settlements before late-century expansions changed the rural character.