1943 Map of Downey

About this map

Industrial expansion and wartime planning intersect in this mid-century survey of the southeastern Los Angeles basin. The landscape is defined by the heavy rail infrastructure of the Southern Pacific, Union Pacific, and Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroads, which facilitated the rapid growth of communities like South Gate, Lynwood, and Huntington Park. While the western portion shows dense residential and commercial development, the eastern sections around La Mirada and Artesia remain largely agricultural, dominated by an extensive grid of local roads and irrigation features like the Anaheim Ditch. The transition from rural to suburban is evident in the emerging Lakewood Village and Bellflower. Notable landmarks include the County Hospital and Sunnyside Mausoleum, while the terrain rises sharply at the Puente Hills in the northeast, providing a natural boundary to the burgeoning urban sprawl toward San Pedro Bay.