1955 Map of Chittenden

About this map

Gilroy and its historic predecessor Old Gilroy anchor the northern reaches of this mid-century landscape, where the Santa Clara Valley meets the rising Santa Cruz Mountains. The area is defined by the strategic passage through Pajaro Gap and Chittenden Pass, narrow corridors that funnel the Pajaro River and the Southern Pacific railroad through the hills. This transportation bottleneck created several small settlements along the line, including Sargent and River Oaks. In the hills to the west, industrial activity is evident near Soda Lake, with an abandoned oil well and active oil wells in the Sargent Hills, indicating the region's petroleum history. To the south, the agricultural Las Aromitas y Agua Caliente land grant shows a network of local names like Anzar Road and School Road connecting the valley to Anzar Lake.