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1916 Map of Ceres

Name: 1916 Topographic Map of Ceres
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1916
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1916

About this map

The Tuolumne River winds across the northern edge of this Stanislaus County landscape, serving as a primary water source for a burgeoning agricultural network in the early twentieth century. The map illustrates the sophisticated irrigation system that transformed the valley floor, featuring the Ceres Canal and multiple numbered channels including Lateral No 1 and Lateral No 2. These waterworks supported the central settlement of Ceres, which sits at the junction of the Southern Pacific railroad and the State Highway (Fresno Line).

Beyond the central town, the sheet reveals a pattern of rural development defined by the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroad and the small station at Keyes. Local community life is anchored by a series of schoolhouses, from Riverside School near the river to Monte Vista School in the southeast. This survey documents the transition of the Central Valley into an engineered orchard and vineyard landscape, highlighting how rail lines and canals dictated the placement of crossroads like Esmar.