1949 Map of Long Beach

About this map

Los Angeles and the coastal expanses of the San Pedro Channel appear here just as the post-war building boom was transforming Southern California. The map documents the heavy industrial and maritime concentration around the San Pedro Hills, detailing the strategic footprint of Ft MacArthur Upper Reservation and the Pt MacArthur Lower Reservation. While the mainland shows emerging suburban grids in places like Lomita and Gardena, the offshore Channel Islands remain largely undeveloped outposts. Santa Catalina Island is shown with its primary harbor at Avalon Bay, while the more remote San Clemente Island and San Nicolas Island are charted with their various coves and landings. This 1947 road data captures the region's transport network before the full realization of the modern freeway system, highlighting the older arterial connections between Long Beach and the inland basins.