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1953 Map of Famoso

Name: 1953 Topographic Map of Famoso
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1970
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1970

About this map

Southern Pacific railroad tracks form the spine of this Central Valley landscape, tracing a direct line through small settlements and vast agricultural infrastructure. The community of Famoso serves as a central hub, while to the south, Minter Village sits adjacent to the Shafter Airport. This 1953 survey, with revisions through the late 1960s, documents a transition in water management as the Friant-Kern Canal, Lerdo Canal, and Calloway Canal crisscross the plains to feed the region's orchards and fields.

Evidence of the area's mid-century aviation and utility growth is visible at Famoso Airfield and numerous substations. The naturally meandering course of Poso Creek contrasts with the straight-line geometry of the man-made irrigation network and local roads like Kimberlina Road and Jackson Ave. Genealogists and local historians can find specific landmarks such as Doyle Ranch and the rail-side stop at Slater.