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1954 Map of Folsom

Name: 1954 Topographic Map of Folsom
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1955
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1955

About this map

State Prison at Represa PO and the heavy engineering of the Folsom Dam project dominate this mid-century landscape. The survey captures a critical moment of transformation as blue hatching indicates the imminent flooding of the South Fork American River valley to create the Folsom Reservoir. This rising water marks the end of historical sites like Mormon Island, while further downstream, the Nimbus Dam is preparing to form Lake Natoma.

Extensive Dredge Tailings along the American River and Willow Creek provide a stark visual of the region's mining legacy near the Prairie City site. Local education and community life are grounded in landmarks such as the Roberts School, Theo Judah Sch, and the Phoenix Field (Fair Oaks Airport). The presence of the Southern Pacific railroad and early arterial roads like Old Auburn Road illustrate the connectivity of Orangevale and Folsom during this era of rapid infrastructure development.