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1948 Map of Berenda

Name: 1948 Topographic Map of Berenda
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1948
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1948

About this map

The agrarian landscape of Madera County is anchored by the Southern Pacific railroad corridor, which dictates the placement of early Central Valley settlements. Originally mapped in 1916 and updated shortly after the war, this survey captures Chowchilla and Berenda during a period of established irrigation and road development. The grid-based settlement pattern is evident through named thoroughfares such as Lincoln Road and Jefferson Road, which connect isolated rural schools like Dixieland Sch to the larger rail hubs.

Hydrology plays a defining role in the area's development, with Berenda Slough and Dry Creek providing the natural drainage across the relatively flat plains. To the east, the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe Road serves the community of Sharon, illustrating the dual-railroad competition that helped define this portion of the San Joaquin Valley. Small agricultural clusters like Fairmead and Califa sit at the intersections of these critical transit lines.