1909 Map of Elk Grove

About this map

Elk Grove and Sheldon anchor this early twentieth-century survey of the California Central Valley, depicting a landscape defined by ranching, early education, and the arrival of heavy rail. The Southern Pacific (Niles and Sacramento Line) cuts through the western edge of the quadrangle, signaling the area's transition toward a more connected agricultural economy. The southeastern portion of the map is dominated by the Cosumnes River and the meandering path of Deer Creek, which flow through the expansive San Jon De Los Moquelumnes land grant. Local genealogy and history are well-represented by a distinct network of rural schools, including the Reese School, Union School, Pleasant Grove School, Davis School, and San Joaquin School, which served the scattered farmstead families of the era. The presence of the Upper Stockton Road further illustrates the primary transit corridors used before the expansion of modern highways.