Loading map...

1949 Map of Los Angeles

Name: 1949 Topographic Map of Los Angeles
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1949
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1949

About this map

Santa Barbara and the coastal corridor of Southern California appear here just after the war, showing a region defined by its rugged topography and expanding infrastructure. The city of Los Angeles anchors the southeast, with early suburban growth spreading through the San Fernando Valley toward Burbank and Van Nuys. Inland, the map captures the transition from the densely settled coastal plains to the massive wilderness of the Los Padres National Forest and Angeles National Forest.

Resource extraction and early aviation are prominent, with the Redrock Quicksilver Mine in the northern mountains and the Cactus Mine near Rosamond Dry Lake marking industrial interests. Transportation networks like the Southern Pacific railroad and US Highway 101 follow the coast, connecting coastal hubs like Ventura and Oxnard to the growing metropolis. Notable landmarks such as the Santa Barbara Lighthouse and the Lockheed Air Terminal reflect the area's dual maritime and aerospace history.