1953 Map of Lake Mathews

About this map

The reservoir at Lake Mathews dominates this mid-century landscape, served by the Colorado River Aqueduct and secured by the Cajalco Dam. The terrain reflects a mix of industrial resource extraction and early California heritage, with several Clay Pits and a Prospect scattered throughout the Temescal Valley. Local history is explicitly noted at the Indian Pictographs Historical Marker and the Site of the First House in Riverside County, marking the transition from indigenous and early settler eras to the mid-century suburban and industrial expansion. Small settlements like Arcilla and Weisel sit along the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroad line, while the southern portion of the map climbs into the Cleveland National Forest near Glen Ivy Hot Springs.