1896 Map of Las Bolsas

About this map

Anaheim Landing serves as a primary coastal landmark on this late nineteenth-century survey, marking the interface between the Pacific and the complex marshlands of the Southern California coast. The landscape is defined by vast tracts of seasonal wetlands and drainage networks, with the Los Alamitos and La Bolsa Chica land grants occupying significant portions of the shoreline. This map captures the region before the extensive modern channelization of local waterways, showing the natural meandering of Anaheim Creek and Bolsas Creek as they met the tide. A solitary high point at Landing Hill overlooks the coast, while interior drainage is beginning to be managed through a series of early ditches. The small settlement at Las Bolsas and the Bolsa Chica area provide a rare view of the rural, marshy character of this coastal segment before the urban expansion of Orange County.