Loading map...

1947 Map of Englebrecht Ranch

Name: 1947 Topographic Map of Englebrecht Ranch
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1947
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1947

About this map

Agricultural development in the San Joaquin Valley is clearly defined on this sheet, which centers on the Englebrecht Ranch and the structured grid of Fresno County roads. Surveyed originally in 1921 and revised just after World War II, the landscape is organized by an extensive network of avenues named for California counties and Midwestern cities, including San Joaquin Ave, Merced Ave, and Saginaw Ave.

Water management is the primary driver of this landscape, evidenced by the Beta Main Canal and the natural course of Cantua Creek at the southern boundary. Scattered wells and a windmill indicate the reliance on groundwater for the orchards and fields that dominate this region. The map captures a moment when the ranching economy of the valley was maturing, reflected in the precise alignment of Mountain View Avenue and the transition of the land into a highly engineered productive zone.