1960 Map of El Nido

About this map

The agricultural landscape of Merced County is defined by an intricate network of irrigation and drainage in this 1960 survey, updated with 1984 aerial data. The settlement of El Nido anchors the southern portion of the sheet, while the Southern Pacific railroad cuts across the northeast corner through the community of Lingard. Water management is the primary feature of this San Joaquin Valley terrain, evidenced by the El Nido Reservoir and a complex system of numbered laterals and named channels like the Givens-Lustre Canal and El Nido Canal. Natural watercourses such as Duck Slough, Mariposa Slough, and Deadman Creek meander across the grid-patterned fields. Family-named roads, including McNamara Road, Healy Road, and Rahilly Rd, provide a window into the local landownership of the mid-20th century. Notable land uses include several isolated landing strips and a cluster of Duck Ponds south of Dutchman Creek.