Loading map...

1947 Map of Briones Valley

Name: 1947 Topographic Map of Briones Valley
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1954
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1954

About this map

The San Pablo Reservoir dominates the western portion of this 1940s landscape, serving as a critical water node with its Intake Tower and nearby Filtration Plant. This era shows the East Bay transitioning from ranching lands toward more concentrated residential pockets in Orinda Village and Lafayette. The rugged interior is defined by massive land grants and ridge systems like La Boca de la Cañada del Pinole and the Briones Hills, where traditional rural life is still evidenced by the Briones Valley Sch.

Industrial and transit infrastructure cuts through the valleys, notably the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroad near Glen Frazer and the Mokelumne Aqueduct moving water toward the urban centers. In the southwest, the nascent Charles Lee Tilden Regional Park begins to define the recreational boundary of the Berkeley Hills, while landmarks like Grizzly Pk and Bald Pk anchor the high terrain above the burgeoning suburban valleys.