Loading map...

1953 Map of Byron Hot Springs

Name: 1953 Topographic Map of Byron Hot Springs
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1954
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1954

About this map

Byron Hot Springs sits at the base of the foothills where the valley floor begins its ascent into the rolling range of Canada De Los Vaqueros. During the early 1950s, this area of Contra Costa and Alameda counties maintained a mix of rural infrastructure and developing industry, evidenced by the presence of an Oil Pumping Station and associated Oil Tanks near Camino Diablo. The eastern portion of the sheet is dominated by the agricultural water network, including the Irrigation Canal and several smaller reservoirs that supported the township of Byron.

Transport and topography dictate the local character, with the Southern Pacific railroad cutting through the northeast corner while the southern landscape rises toward Brushy Peak. Geologic interest is found in the scattered Prospects and a Gravel Pit located near the northern border. The map also delineates the Approximate Boundary between the historic land grants of Los Meganos and the surrounding ranch lands, providing a clear view of the mid-century transition from open range to more intensive land use.