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1914 Map of Lost Hills

Name: 1914 Topographic Map of Lost Hills
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1938
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1938

About this map

The San Joaquin Valley is defined here by its stark transition from the flat Antelope Plain to the prominent ridges of the Kettleman Hills. This 1914 survey, reprinted in 1938, documents a landscape where water was the primary concern for any inhabitant. Isolated water sources such as Alamo Solo Spr, Salt Spr, and the County Well are the only signs of infrastructure in an otherwise demanding environment.

Evidence of early ranching and passage is found at McDonalds Ranch and along the few unnamed roads that cut through Avenal Gap. The map captures the physical geography of the Lost Hills and Pyramid Hills before modern agricultural irrigation and industrial oil development transformed the region. Researchers can trace seasonal watercourses like Bitterwater Creek and Devilwater Cr as they flow from the western heights toward the valley floor.