1955 Map of Franklin Point

About this map

Punta del Año Nuevo and the coastal shelf of The Mesa define this mid-century view of the San Mateo coast. The landscape is a transition from the Pacific Ocean shoreline, marked by Sand Dunes and the prominent Franklin Point, into the steep, redwood-shadowed canyons of the Santa Cruz Mountains. At this time, the interior is characterized by conservation and isolated industrial markers, including an Oil Well and the Butano Landing Field. The map records the early footprints of Butano State Park and Big Basin Redwoods State Park, while smaller settlements like Butano Park and the Sandy Point Guard Station suggest the localized activity of the era. Water dominates the rugged drainage patterns, from the cascading Butano Falls to the numerous creeks such as Gazos Creek and Waddell Creek that cut through the deep ridges.