1906 Map of Bakersfield

About this map

The San Joaquin Valley floor meets the foothills in this early-century survey, revealing the nascent industrial footprint of the Kern County oil fields. The town of Bakersfield serves as the hub for a dense network of water and rail infrastructure, including the Kern River, the Kern Island Canal, and the Oil City Branch of the Southern Pacific railroad. To the north, the landscape is defined by the complex drainage of Poso Creek and Little Poso Creek, where the Poso Irrigation District signifies early efforts to manage the arid environment for agriculture.