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1949 Map of Chico

Name: 1949 Topographic Map of Chico
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1968
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1968

About this map

Chico and its surrounding agricultural valley appear in high detail during the late 1940s, a period of established irrigation and rail-dependent industry. The town center is anchored by Chico State College and is surrounded by distinct neighborhoods like Chapmantown and Barber, where a Match Factory stands near the Southern Pacific tracks. Outside the city limits, the landscape transitions into a complex network of orchards and fields, managed by an intricate system of water features including the Glenn-Colusa Canal, Western Canal, and numerous sloughs like Kusal Slough.

Westward, the Sacramento River forms a dynamic boundary, its winding course creating landforms like Phelan Island and Golden State Island. Historical river crossings and landings, such as Ord Ferry and Hites Landing, remain as markers of the earlier river-based commerce. The map also records rural life through its named schools and cemeteries, from Citrus Ave Sch to the Durham Cem near the settlement of Durham.