1956 Map of Bakersfield

About this map

Bakersfield and the southern San Joaquin Valley form the centerpiece of this mid-century survey, a region defined by its intensive water management and diverse geography. The landscape transitions from the agricultural heartland around Wasco and Shafter to the steep elevations of the Sierra Nevada and Tehachapi Mountains. Water infrastructure is vital to this valley, evidenced by the Homeland Canal and Kern Island Canal, which divert the Kern River to support the surrounding farmland. To the south and west, the map records the significant presence of Buena Vista Lake and the Tulare Lake basin, before the terrain rises into the Temblor Range. This era shows a robust transportation network including the Southern Pacific and Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroads, alongside the early routes of U S Highway 99 and State Highway 466. The eastern portion is dominated by the Sequoia National Forest and the gateway to the Mojave Desert through Tehachapi Pass.