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1979 Map of El Cajon

Name: 1979 Topographic Map of El Cajon
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1979
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1979

About this map

El Cajon and the urbanized western edge of San Diego County give way to the complex mountain and desert landscapes of southern California in the late 1970s. This survey documents the transitional zone from the suburban density of La Mesa and Spring Valley to the protected wilderness of Cleveland National Forest and Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. The map captures a significant network of water infrastructure, including San Vicente Reservoir, El Capitan Reservoir, and Lake Morena, which remain vital to the region's development.

A network of tribal lands is clearly delineated, including the Capitan Grande Indian Reservation and the Viejas Indian Reservation. Transport routes like Interstate 8 cut through the Laguna Mountains, while the San Diego & Arizona Eastern RR follows a winding path toward the international border at Tecate. This edition reflects a period of established mountain communities such as Pine Valley and Alpine, while the eastern portion of the map transitions into the arid expanse of the Yuha Desert and the Badlands.