1953 Map of Grays Bend

About this map

The Rio Jesus Maria land grant area presents a complex landscape of mid-century water management and agricultural infrastructure along the Sacramento River. This territory is defined by the massive Yolo Bypass and the Cache Creek Settling Basin, revealing how the Central Valley's natural drainage was re-engineered for flood control. Near the riverside, the small settlement of Fremont and the Elkhorn Ferry crossing mark historic transit points where the Garden Highway follows the levee. The map also captures specialized industrial and municipal sites of the early 1950s, such as the Woodland Sewage Farm and the Beet Pulp Silo at the waste disposal area. Rural education is anchored by the Willow Spring Union School, while the Sacramento Northern and Southern Pacific lines illustrate the rail-dependent economy of local operations like King Farms and Conway Ranch.