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1961 Map of Atwater

Name: 1961 Topographic Map of Atwater
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1963
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1963

About this map

Castle Air Force Base dominates the eastern landscape of this early 1960s survey, illustrating the significant military footprint in the Central Valley during the Cold War. The surrounding agricultural network is defined by a complex system of irrigation and drainage, including the El Capitan Canal, Amsterdam Canal, and Turlock Lake Canal. The Merced River meanders through the northern section, bordered by McConnell State Park and crossing points like Shaffer Bridge.

Railroad corridors dictate the settlement patterns, with the Southern Pacific and the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad connecting towns such as Livingston, Atwater, Winton, and Cressey. Rural life is marked by numerous schools like Franklin Sch and Washington Sch, while the presence of Hopeton Cem and family-named landmarks like Crocker Dam provides essential data for genealogists tracing mid-century valley families.