1952 Map of Courtland

About this map

The Sacramento River defines the heart of this agricultural landscape, winding between a series of named islands and sloughs that shaped the delta's development. This mid-century survey reveals a intricate network of levees protecting Merritt Island, Sutter Island, and Grand Island, where the economy relied on both the river and rail lines. The Southern Pacific and Northern Sacramento RR served riverside communities like Hood, Paintersville, and Locke. Small settlements such as Vorden and Sorroca appear alongside numerous pump houses, reflecting the intensive water management required to farm these fertile basins. The mapping also captures the transition between Yolo and Sacramento counties, with purple photorevised updates from the late 1960s showing subtle changes in the roads and structures near Courtland.