1952 Map of Carpinteria

About this map

The Santa Ynez Mountains dominate the landscape of this 1950s coastal survey, with the Camino Cielo following the high ridges above the Santa Barbara Channel. Along the narrow coastal shelf, the Southern Pacific Railroad and U. S. Highway 101 link the growing settlements of Montecito, Summerland, and Carpinteria. Coastal industry is evident in the Oil Wells at Summerland and the rail-dependent infrastructure at Ortega Siding. The map captures a moment when the inland canyons, such as Toro Canyon Creek and Santa Monica Creek, remained largely undeveloped within the Los Padres National Forest. Local history is preserved in the locations of the Carpinteria Cemetery, Crane Country Day Sch, and the reservoir system supplying the coastal estates, including Jameson Lake and the various water tanks scattered across the foothills.