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1923 Map of Firebaugh

Name: 1923 Topographic Map of Firebaugh
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1923
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1923

About this map

Firebaugh and Mendota anchor this 1920s topographic survey of the Central Valley, illustrating an agricultural landscape defined by the management of the San Joaquin River. The complex hydrology of the region is evident in the parallel paths of the San Joaquin and Kings River Canal and the Pozo Canal, which represent the massive engineering efforts required to irrigate the Fresno and Madera county borderlands. The transit network is dominated by the Southern Pacific railroad line, which connects the primary settlements and rural sidings.

Smaller loading points and ranching hubs like Arbios, Cromir, and the Helm Ranch appear along the rail and canal corridors, marking the early 20th-century footprint of industrial farming. The presence of the Old Santa Fe Grade suggests a changing transportation landscape, where older routes began to give way to the more formal Madera Road. This map serves as a detailed record of the river-and-rail economy that shaped these communities before modern highway expansion.