1954 Map of Antelope Plain

About this map

Antelope Plain transitions into the rising terrain of the Lost Hills in this mid-century look at Kern County's extractive landscape. The area is defined by intensive industrial activity, where numerous Oil Wells and associated infrastructure like an Oil Sump and Oil Tanks dominate the eastern ridges. This 1954 revision reflects a period when the San Joaquin Valley’s petroleum and mineral resources were being heavily developed, as evidenced by the series of Gypsum Quarries and a specific Gypsum Quarry mapped along the hillsides. Away from the industrial core, the presence of a lone Windmill and various isolated wells indicates the sparse agricultural or livestock support structures required in this arid environment. The map captures the intersection of large-scale resource extraction and the fundamental infrastructure needed to maintain these operations in the California interior.