1950 Map of Coal Oil Canyon

About this map

Wheeler Ridge dominates the southern landscape of this mid-century survey, rising sharply above the oil-rich flats of the southern San Joaquin Valley. The map documents an industrial corridor defined by the General Petroleum Corp Emigdio Pumping Sta and the Richfield Oil Co Pumping Station, signaling the region's mid-century petroleum development. Irrigation infrastructure is equally prominent, with the Kern Island Ditch cutting across the northern sections, facilitating the transition from arid scrub to productive agricultural land.