1936 Map of El Rico Ranch

About this map

The massive, drying expanse of the Tulare Lake Bed dominates this Central Valley landscape, revealed during a period of intensive hydrological engineering in the mid-1930s. The map captures a transition where the historic Tule River and its natural branches like West Branch Cross Creek are being systematically managed and redirected. A rigid grid of irrigation infrastructure, including the Tulare Lake Canal, 10 Th Ave Canal, and the Reclamation Ditch 1618, illustrates the conversion of former wetlands into industrial-scale agricultural land. Local ranching operations such as El Rico Ranch, Peterson Ranch, and Johnson Ranch are established along these new water routes. The presence of the Progressive Development Co further emphasizes the era's focus on land reclamation and resource management in Kings County.