1948 Map of El Monte

About this map

Rosemead Lodge Sanitarium and the sprawling grid of the San Gabriel Valley define this landscape during a period of rapid post-war suburban transformation. While the Southern Pacific and Pacific Electric lines still cut through the territory, the shift toward an automobile-centric society is evident in the detailed labeling of thoroughfares like Valley Boulevard and Garvey Ave. The map preserves the transition between old ranchos and new neighborhoods, noting historic land grants like Potrero de Felipe Lugo alongside mid-century landmarks like the Radio Sta and the Airway Beacon in the La Merced hills.