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1955 Map of Ano Nuevo

Name: 1955 Topographic Map of Ano Nuevo
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1968
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1968

About this map

Punta del Año Nuevo and its shifting Sand Dunes define this coastal boundary between Santa Cruz and San Mateo counties as it was documented in the mid-1950s. The landscape is dominated by the rugged transition from the Pacific surf to the forested slopes of Big Basin Redwoods State Park. Just offshore, the Lighthouse (Abandoned) on Año Nuevo Island stands as a silent sentinel over Año Nuevo Bay, marking a point where maritime navigation met the treacherous rocky coast.

Settlement patterns are sparse, with inland locations like Grey and Graves connected by the winding Chance Road. The topography follows several significant drainages, including Waddell Creek and Whitehouse Creek, which cut through the coastal terraces. Local history is anchored by the Vabm Cem 876 located near the coastal bluffs, providing a fixed point for genealogists tracing early residents of this isolated shoreline.