1912 Map of Buena Vista Lake

About this map

Buena Vista Lake and its intricate network of irrigation canals define this portion of the San Joaquin Valley during a period of massive hydraulic and industrial expansion. The map details an extensive system of waterways, including the Calloway Canal, Beardsley Canal, and Kern Island Canal, which redirected the Kern River to support the growing agricultural footprint around Bakersfield. To the west and south, the landscape rises into the Elk Hills and Buena Vista Hills, where several oil pumping stations signal the region's emerging petroleum economy.