1959 Map of Mare Island

About this map

Mare Island Naval Reservation dominates this mid-century survey, anchoring a landscape where the industrial and military complex of Vallejo meets the waters of the Napa River and Carquinez Strait. The map documents the dense urban growth around Vallejo Heights and Federal Terrace School, as well as the wartime housing at Guadalcanal Village. Across the mudflats and the Pinole Shoal, the refinery and chemical corridor of Contra Costa County comes into focus, with settlements like Oleum, Rodeo, and Nitro strung along the Southern Pacific and Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad. This alignment of heavy industry and rail transport defines the southern shore, marked by features such as the Chemical Plant near Pinole and the Hercules Wharf. The inclusion of local landmarks like Old Hillside Cem and St Vincents Sch provides essential detail for tracing the social and institutional fabric of these waterfront communities.