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1966 Map of Los Angeles

Name: 1966 Topographic Map of Los Angeles
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1966
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1966

About this map

Los Angeles and the surrounding coastal plains and mountain ranges appear here during a period of massive suburban expansion and military infrastructure development. The map details the complex transition from the dense urban centers of the San Fernando Valley to the high desert, where Edwards Air Force Base and the Flight Test Center dominate the Mojave Desert landscape. Along the coast, the maritime and defense presence is marked by the US Naval Construction Battalion Center near Port Hueneme and the Naval Air Missile Test Area offshore.

Water management and transportation networks define the region's growth, from the winding path of the Los Angeles Aqueduct to the primary corridors of the Southern Pacific railroad and Interstate 5. The rugged backcountry of the Los Padres National Forest and Angeles National Forest provides a stark contrast to the burgeoning valley settlements. This survey also captures the offshore geography of Santa Cruz Island and the Anacapa Islands, grounding the Southern California mainland in its broader Pacific context.