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1949 Map of Espinosa Canyon

Name: 1949 Topographic Map of Espinosa Canyon
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1979
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1979

About this map

The Salinas River flows through this portion of Monterey County, defining the eastern edge of a landscape deeply carved by numerous drainages. These canyons, many bearing family names like Robinson Canyon, Davis Canyon, and Loridon Canyon, suggest a history of localized ranching and homesteading in the mid-20th century. The intricate network of seasonal waterways, including Feliz Canyon and Broadhurst Canyon, feeds into the larger river valley from the surrounding hills.

Mapped by the Department of the Army and the U.S. Geological Survey, the topography reveals a land managed for its water resources, evidenced by the presence of a Canal and multiple windmills. Larger land grants or regions like San Benito, San Lucas, and San Bernardo (Soberanes) intersect here, reflecting the long-standing land division patterns of coastal California. The 1979 photorevision captured updates to this rural terrain just as suburban expansion began to reach more isolated California valleys.