Loading map...

1950 Map of Kettleman Plain

Name: 1950 Topographic Map of Kettleman Plain
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1950
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1950

About this map

Kettleman Plain serves as the central trough in this 1950 edition based on 1930 surveys, showing the landscape of the California oil industry before mid-century expansion. The map details the transition from the steep elevations of Reef Ridge and Sunflower Valley in the southwest to the petroleum-bearing heights of the Kettleman Hills in the northeast. This area, particularly the North Dome, is defined by its industrial geography, highlighted by a lone Oil Pumping Sta and the specialized naming of Drillers Ridge and Bullwheel Ridge.

Transport through this arid stretch of Kings County is anchored by the diagonal Coalinga Bakersfield Road and the Lemoore Robles Paso Road. Numerous ephemeral drainage systems, such as Arroyo del Pasajero and Big Tar Creek, illustrate the complex erosion patterns of the western San Joaquin Valley. Local landmarks like El Mirador and Cerro Alto provide essential navigation points across the high ridges.