1903 Map of Cucamonga

About this map

The San Gabriel Mountains dominate the northern landscape of this region, providing a stark backdrop to the rapidly developing citrus and agricultural belts of the early twentieth century. This survey reveals a grid of irrigation and transport that defines the valley floor, where the San Bernardino Base Line separates the rugged canyons of the Angeles National Forest from the growing towns below. The presence of a Power House in San Antonio Canyon speaks to the early engineering efforts to harness mountain water for the settlements of Cucamonga and Ontario. A dense network of competing rail lines, including the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe R. R. and the Pacific Electric R. R., connects specialized shipping points like Etiwanda Sta. and North Pomona, illustrating the era's reliance on steel rails to move local produce to broader markets.