1954 Map of El Rico Ranch

About this map

Tulare Lake Bed defines the topography of this San Joaquin Valley landscape, revealing an intensive agricultural engineering effort in the mid-1950s. The region is crisscrossed by an intricate network of irrigation and drainage infrastructure, including the El Rico Main Canal, Progressive Canal, and the Tule River. Settlement patterns are dominated by large agricultural holdings and worker facilities, such as the Richland Farms Camp, multiple Labor Camps, and named family operations like Peterson Ranch and Johnson Ranch. The presence of the Dallas School and the small siding at Newton indicate the social hubs of this rural farming community. This survey provides a distinct look at the reclaimed lakebed before modern subsidence further altered the terrain, documented through features like Helm Corner and the Gates-Jones Canal.