1966 Map of El Monte

About this map

The San Gabriel Mission anchors this mid-century portrait of a rapidly densifying Los Angeles Basin, where historic Spanish land grants like the Paso De Bartolo meet the postwar expansion of infrastructure. By the mid-1960s, the landscape is defined by massive water management projects, most notably the Whittier Narrows Dam and the expansive Rio Hondo Flood Control Basin. These works transformed the convergence of the San Gabriel River and Rio Hondo into a hybrid of utility and recreation, as seen in the development of the Whittier Narrows Recreation Area and Legg Lake.