1936 Map of El Rico Ranch

About this map

The expansive Tulare Lake Bed dominates this portion of Kings County, revealing a landscape defined by large-scale agricultural engineering and water management in the early 1930s. The Tule River and Cross Creek serve as the primary natural arteries, but they are heavily augmented by a network of man-made structures including the Tulare Lake Canal, Dallas Canal, and numerous irrigation ditches. This survey captures the transition of the former lake basin into a productive ranching and farming territory, evidenced by substantial holdings like El Rico Ranch, Peterson Ranch, and Johnson Ranch. Extensive protective structures such as the Lovelace Levee and El Rico Levee underscore the constant effort to control the local hydrology for cultivation. Roads like Newton Ave and Pueblo Avenue follow a strict sectional grid, punctuated only by numerous agricultural wells that indicate the intensity of the groundwater reliance during this era.