1908 Map of Courtland

About this map

The Sacramento River anchors this early 20th-century survey, defining a complex network of levees, islands, and sloughs that supported the region's burgeoning agricultural economy. Large tracts of land are reclaimed as islands, including Merritt Island, Sutter Island, and Grand Island, separated by channels like Steamboat Slough and Miner Slough. The landscape is dominated by the vast Yolo Basin to the west and the intricate water management infrastructure of the era, such as the Sacramento Drainage Canal and the Clamshell Cut. Small riverfront settlements such as Courtland, Clarksburg, and Freeport appear as vital transit points, while a Pumping Plant and a Drawbridge near Paintersville highlight the engineering required to inhabit this flood-prone delta. Archeological interest is noted by the presence of an Indian Mound near Big Lake, pointing to a much longer history of human occupation along these waterways.