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1953 Map of Drakes Bay

Name: 1953 Topographic Map of Drakes Bay
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1970
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1970

About this map

Punta de los Reyes (Randall) anchors this coastal landscape, showing a complex network of estuarine waters and historic ranching operations in the early 1950s. The map reveals a working maritime and pastoral environment where the Coast Guard Reservation and its prominent lighthouse overlook the Pacific Ocean. Inland from the Sand Dunes and Reyes Beach, the terrain is defined by functional ranch sites like H Ranch, Home Ranch, and D Ranch.

Evidence of earlier coastal industry and navigation appears at the Blacksmith Shop (Site) and Schooner Ldg (Site) along Schooner Bay. The geography is dominated by the intricate fingers of Drakes Estero, including Barries Bay and Creamery Bay, protected by the long reach of Limantour Spit. This period represents the era just before the full formalization of the Point Reyes National Seashore, preserving the legacy of the dairy ranches and early radio communication facilities like the Radio Sta and Radio Relay Sta.