1955 Map of Coal Oil Canyon

About this map

The dry Kern Lake Bed dominates the northern reaches of this mid-century Kern County landscape, its expanse bounded by a prominent levee and the agricultural infrastructure of the Rim. This area reflects the transition from reclamation to intensive industrial use, most notably evidenced by the sprawling Wheeler Ridge Oil Field and the Emidio Pumping Station. A network of transport and energy infrastructure crisscrosses the terrain, including the Maricopa Highway, multiple pipelines, and the remnants of the Tank Farm Auxiliary Airfield (Aban'd). Historical transit routes are memorialized by the Fages-Zalvidea Trails Marker, while local industry is seen in the Cotton Gin near Lakeview. To the south, the terrain rises sharply into Wheeler Ridge, cut by the dramatic erosion of Coal Oil Canyon and several creeks such as Pleito Creek.