1932 Map of La Panza

About this map

San Juan Creek flows through a landscape defined by deep canyons and the sprawling expanse of the Carrizo Plain during the early 1930s. The settlement at La Panza and the nearby La Panza Ranch serve as focal points for this cattle and ranching region of San Luis Obispo County. Local water sources are critical to the era’s economy, marked by locations such as Carnaza Spr and Mustang Spr. The map reveals a transition from the steep elevations of McChesney Mtn and Freeborn Mtn down into the flatlands of the plain. Evidence of early land management is visible in the 7th Standard Parallel South and the remote outpost at French Camp. To the east, the boundary between San Luis Obispo Co and Kern Co runs through the drainages of Bitterwater Creek.