1912 Map of Coalinga

About this map

The nascent petroleum industry and agricultural expansion meet in this survey of the western edge of the San Joaquin Valley. Recorded shortly after the peak of the local oil boom, the map reveals the dense network of roads and pipelines serving Oilfields and Coalinga, while the Southern Pacific railroad extends its Alcalde Branch to the foot of the hills. The landscape is a study in contrasts, moving from the irrigated plains near Wheatville and Tulare Lake Slough to the complex terrain of Monocline Ridge and the Kettleman Hills. Industrial footprints are clearly visible, from the Pumping Station along the canals to the San Joaquin Valley Coal Mine tucked into the foothills. This period marks the transition where traditional ranching and early mining were being superseded by massive fossil fuel extraction and large-scale water management in the Pleasant Valley.