1950 Map of Kirkwood

About this map

The Southern Pacific railroad corridor defines the development of this agricultural landscape along the Tehama and Glenn county line. Near the settlement of Kirkwood, the land is marked by early burial grounds like Kirkwood Cem, while further south near Orland, the community's civic footprint is established through the Union High Sch and the Masonic Cem. This 1950 record shows a rural economy heavily reliant on managed water, evidenced by the extensive Stony Creek Irrigation Canal and its accompanying Stony Creek Irrigation Road. The map provides a look at mid-century aviation infrastructure, featuring both an Airway Beacon and the Orland Auxiliary Airport No 2. Numerous local schools, including Lake School, Calumet Sch, and the Seventh-day Adventist School, suggest a well-distributed rural population organized around established creek drainages like Hambright Creek and Stony Creek.