1936 Map of La Panza

About this map

San Juan Creek cuts through the center of this landscape, anchoring a network of canyons and drainages in this pocket of San Luis Obispo County during the mid-1930s. The settlement at La Panza and the nearby La Panza Ranch represent the established ranching and agricultural life of the era, while the presence of Placer Creek points toward the region's historical mineral interests. To the south, the boundary of the Santa Barbara National Forest encompasses high points like Mc Chesney Mtn and Freeborn Mtn, marking a transition from the lower creek basins into the higher reaches of the Santa Lucia Range. The northeastern corner transitions toward the Kern County line, where the terrain begins to shift from the deep cuts of Old Canyon and Martinez Canyon into the more open areas around Yeguas Creek.