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1953 Map of Del Mar

Name: 1953 Topographic Map of Del Mar
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1954
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1954

About this map

The coastal communities of Solana Beach and Del Mar define this early 1950s landscape, where the Southern California shoreline meets a complex system of canyons and mesas. The Santa Fe railroad tracks hug the coast, passing the famous Del Mar Race Track and the nearby Del Mar Airport. Inland, the terrain is characterized by deep incisions like Gonzales Canyon and Carmel Valley, which separate the flat expanses of Del Mar Mesa and Kearny Mesa.

Evidence of the era's military footprint is prominent in the southern reaches of the map, with the expansive Miramar Air Station Naval Reservation and Camp Matthews Naval Reservation occupying significant acreage. Local history details include the Peñasquitos Ranch and Eden Gardens, alongside infrastructure like the Filtration Plant and the US Agricultural Experimental Station. The natural preservation of Torrey Pines State Park stands in contrast to the growing residential and military developments of the mid-century period.