1953 Map of La Jolla

About this map

Soledad Mtn towers over the coastal residential growth of the early 1950s, defining the landscape between La Jolla and the developing Pacific Beach. The map captures a moment of significant institutional and military presence in San Diego, showing the Scripps Institute of Oceanography along the northern coast and the expansive Camp Mathews Naval Res inland. This survey details the complex shoreline geography from Point La Jolla down to the burgeoning Mission Bay Park, which at this time includes numerous named points and coves like Santa Clara Point and Tierra del Fuego. The industrial and transportation corridor is anchored by the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroad line running through Rose Canyon, while the residential sprawl of Clairemont and Linda Vista begins to fill the mesas east of the coast.