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1948 Map of Kismet

Name: 1948 Topographic Map of Kismet
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1948
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1948

About this map

The Central Valley landscape of Madera County is defined by its early-century infrastructure in this 1948 revision. The small siding of Kismet serves as a focal point along the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroad, which cuts diagonally through a terrain marked by numerous windmills and an evolving irrigation network. The presence of the Southern Pacific line further south near Notarb highlights the region's importance as a transportation corridor for agricultural goods.

Water management is central to the area's development, evidenced by the Fresno River and the engineered Canal system. Long straight thoroughfares like Jefferson Road and Madera Road establish the rural grid, connecting isolated farmsteads and points like Talbot. This survey captures the transition from natural drainage along Berenda Creek and Dry Creek to the industrial agricultural landscape that would characterize the post-war era.