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1953 Map of Los Gatos

Name: 1953 Topographic Map of Los Gatos
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1966
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1966

About this map

Los Gatos sits at the foot of the Santa Cruz Mts, serving as a gateway between the developing valley and the steep, wooded canyons to the south. The 1950s landscape is defined by the massive engineering of the Lexington Reservoir, which had recently reshaped the geography of the local watershed. This period of change is evident in the presence of Wrights (Site), a former railway stop and settlement that by this time was already being overtaken by new infrastructure and reforestation. The Southern Pacific railroad remains a critical corridor, cutting through the town center and heading south into the hills.

Local history and genealogy interests are well-served by the many small hillside communities such as Holy City, Chemeketa Park, and Redwood Estates. To the east, the mining legacy of the region is preserved through labels for the Guadalupe Mines and Senator Mine on the slopes of the Capitancillos. In the higher elevations near Mt Umunhum, a network of remote schools like Loma Prieta School and Summit School suggests the scattered but persistent population of the mountain ridges.