1955 Map of Ano Nuevo

About this map

Punta Del Año Nuevo dominates the coastline of this mid-century survey, where the Santa Cruz and San Mateo county lines meet along the Pacific. The landscape is defined by the shifting Sand Dunes near the point and the rugged drainage systems of Año Nuevo Creek and Waddell Creek. Offshore, Año Nuevo Island is noted for its Lighthouse (Abandoned), a critical navigational landmark of the era sitting within the Año Nuevo Island State Park. To the east, the terrain rises into the heavily timbered ridges of Big Basin Redwoods State Park. This map captures a coastal economy transitioning toward conservation and recreation, evidenced by the large state park designations and the presence of a lone Cem and isolated survey points like Arroyo de las Trancas that hint at earlier homesteading and ranching in the coastal canyons.