1925 Map of Clearwater

About this map

Signal Hill dominates the southern landscape of this mid-1920s survey, its slopes densely packed with Oil Wells that fueled the region's industrial explosion. To the north, the transition from agricultural tracts to refinery centers is evident near Virginia City, where the Gillons Process Refinery and General Petroleum Refinery established an early petrochemical footprint. The map documents a period of rapid suburban and industrial expansion, with the Pacific Electric and Southern Pacific rail lines connecting emerging settlements like Bellflower, Hynes, and Clearwater. Amidst this growth, specialized landmarks such as the Federal Telegraph Co Wireless Sta and the Virginia Country Club reflect the diverse social and technological infrastructure of the era. The hydrology of the area remains prominent, featuring the Los Angeles River and Bouton Lake before extensive twentieth-century channelization altered the natural drainage patterns of the Los Cerritos plain.