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1920 Map of Kismet

Name: 1920 Topographic Map of Kismet
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1920
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1920

About this map

The Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroad cuts a sharp diagonal through the heart of the Central Valley in this 1916 survey. The small settlement of Kismet marks the junction where this major line crosses the east-west Southern Pacific tracks, reflecting a landscape defined by early 20th-century transportation corridors. Further east, the Talbot settlement and its nearby Talbot School suggest a rural community clustered around the Raymond Branch Dry Creek.

The terrain transitions from the flatter valley floor in the west, drained by Berenda Creek, toward the rising foothills of the Sierra Nevada in the east. Along the southern edge, the Fresno River meanders toward the valley, while the Madera Road provides an early automotive link through the region. This topography demonstrates the critical role of water access and rail connectivity in shaping Madera County's early agricultural and transit geography.