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1909 Map of Clay

Name: 1909 Topographic Map of Clay
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1909
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1909

About this map

The Southern Pacific railroad cuts a sharp diagonal across this Central Valley landscape, defining the development of small rail-side settlements like Clay and Cicero during the early twentieth century. This survey, conducted in cooperation with State Engineer Nathaniel Ellery, reveals a transition from the large Mexican land grant era, evidenced by the Sanjon de los Moquelumnes boundary, to a settled agricultural district organized by school districts.

Educational life is anchored by the Alabama School, Colony School, and Laguna School, each serving rural families scattered between the meandering Cosumnes Creek and Dry Creek. The presence of the Hadselville road and numerous creek branches, such as Badger Creek and (Amador Branch) Creek, highlights the importance of water and road access in a region defined by the border of Sacramento and San Joaquin counties.