1992 Map of Keene

About this map

Tehachapi Creek carves a path through this mountainous region of Kern County, where the infrastructure of the Southern Pacific railroad defines the local landscape. The map highlights the famous engineering feat known as The Loop near the settlement of Walong, a critical point where the rail line circles back over itself to gain elevation. This 1990s revision captures a series of small trackside communities including Keene, Woodford, and Marcel, many of which were historically vital to the operation of the mountain pass. Beyond the tracks, the terrain transitions into the high basins of Bear Valley and Cummings Valley, showing a mix of agricultural land and isolated Mine or Prospects sites. The presence of the Keene PO and a local Golf Course indicates the evolving nature of these mountain settlements during the late twentieth century.