1955 Map of Laurel

About this map

The San Andreas Rift Zone dominates this mid-century landscape in the Santa Cruz Mts, where small settlements and retreats are scattered among the steep drainage basins of Soguel Creek and its tributaries. While the Southern Pacific Railroad cuts through the western ridges via tunnels near Glenwood, the social fabric of the era is visible in the numerous institutions dotting the hills, such as the St Clare Retreat, Bethany Bible College, and the Happy Valley Conference Ground. Several educational centers appear as relicts of a prior era, with Burrell Sch, Glenwood School, and Highland School all noted as abandoned by 1955. Industry is limited to specific pockets like the Olive Spring Quarry, while the ridge-top Skyland and Laurel communities remain connected by narrow routes like Summit Road and Highland Way.