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1954 Map of Burris Park

Name: 1954 Topographic Map of Burris Park
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1957
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1957

About this map

The Kings River dominates this landscape where Fresno, Kings, and Tulare counties meet, illustrating an intricate mid-century water management system. The map documents a complex network of irrigation features such as the Peoples Ditch, Lakeland Canal, and Settlers Ditch, which were essential to the agricultural development of the Central Valley. In addition to these man-made waterways, the natural course of the river is diverted through Cole Slough and Dutch John Cut, highlighting the historical effort to control seasonal flows and reclaim land for farming.

Local civic life is anchored by Burris Park and a handful of rural educational landmarks including River Bend School and Excelsior School. The infrastructure of the era is further defined by the Southern Pacific Railroad cutting across the northeastern corner. The presence of Laguna De Tache suggests the enduring memory of older land grants and natural wetlands in a region increasingly shaped by surveyed roads like Elkhorn Avenue and Excelsior Avenue.