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1901 Map of Carquinez

Name: 1901 Topographic Map of Carquinez
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1926
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1926

About this map

Carquinez Strait serves as the focal point for this late nineteenth-century landscape, where the waters of Suisun Bay meet the naval and industrial hubs of Northern California. The mapping detail highlights the strategic importance of Benicia, home to the U.S. Arsenal, and the bustling waterfronts of Vallejo and South Vallejo. These settlements were critical nodes in a maritime and rail network, connected by the Southern Pacific and the San Francisco and Ogden Line, which navigated the complex marshlands and sloughs of the delta.

The intricate maze of the interior is defined by Joice Island and Grizzly Island, separated by a network of waterways including Montezuma Slough and Suisun Slough. Inland, the terrain rises sharply toward Sulphur Springs Mt. and Elkhorn Peak, overlooking the agricultural valleys and smaller rail stops like Cordelia and Creston. The map documents a period before modern infrastructure transformed the Suisun marshes, preserving the original footprints of towns like Martinez, Crockett, and Port Costa during their peak as shipping and ferry terminals.