1949 Map of Briones Valley

About this map

San Pablo Reservoir and the surrounding ridgelines dominate this late-1940s landscape, illustrating the critical water infrastructure serving the growing East Bay. The map captures the transition from the pastoral cattle lands of La Boca De La Cañada Del Pinole and Briones Valley to the early residential development near Orinda Village. To the south, the borders of Tilden Regional Park meet the high points of Grizzly Pk and Bald Pk on the Alameda County line. Infrastructure like the Mokelumne Aqueduct and the Atohison Topeka and Santa Fe railroad through Franklin Canyon reveal the complex logistical networks of the era. Smaller local landmarks such as the Briones Valley Sch and the Filtration Plant near Lafayette Reservoir provide specific points of interest for local history researchers and genealogists tracing family footprints in Contra Costa County.