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1948 Map of Dana Point

Name: 1948 Topographic Map of Dana Point
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1964
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1964

About this map

Dana Point and the adjacent Dana Cove anchor this late-1940s coastal survey, depicting the Orange County shoreline before its late-century transformation. The landscape is defined by the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroad, which parallels the coast through Capistrano Beach toward San Clemente. The area around Serra and Doheny Beach State Park shows the confluence of San Juan Creek with the Pacific, a vital drainage point for the surrounding inland canyons.

Evidence of early aviation and infrastructure appears via the Capistrano Airport and an Airway Beacon near the bluffs. To the north, residential clusters at Three Arch Bay and South Laguna cling to the steep terrain above Mussel Cove. This map captures a transitional era when U.S. Highway 101 served as the primary coastal artery, and large land grants like Boca De La Playa still shaped the local geography.