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1953 Map of La Mesa

Name: 1953 Topographic Map of La Mesa
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1955
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1955

About this map

San Diego State College stands as a central landmark in this 1953 survey, illustrating the rapid post-war expansion of the San Diego area. The landscape transitions from the urban street grids of Normal Heights, Kensington Park, and East San Diego into the rugged canyonlands of Mission Gorge. Military activity is prominent along the northern reaches, dominated by Naval Air Station Miramar and the Camp Elliott Naval Reservation, while the historic Mission San Diego remains a fixed point of reference near the San Diego River.

Infrastructure development is evident in the alignment of the Alvarado Freeway and the San Diego and Arizona Eastern railroad tracks. These transport corridors facilitated the growth of suburbs like La Mesa and Grantville. The terrain is punctuated by significant landmarks including Murray Reservoir and the heights of Fortuna Mtn and Cowles Mtn, which define the natural boundaries of this developing metropolitan fringe.