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1916 Map of Mare Island

Name: 1916 Topographic Map of Mare Island
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1942
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1942

About this map

San Pablo Bay serves as the central focal point for this pre-World War I survey, capturing a complex interface of tidelands, marshes, and early industrial development. The Napa River and Petaluma Creek feed into the northern reaches of the bay, surrounding a network of low-lying landforms like Tubbs Island, Knight Island, and Island No 1. On the eastern shore, the urban footprint of Vallejo is clearly defined, positioned strategically across from the Mare Island naval facilities.

Rail infrastructure dominated the regional economy during this era, with the Northwestern Pacific and Southern Pacific lines threading through the wetlands and connecting small settlements such as Shellville, Wingo, and Buchli. To the south, industrial hubs like Oleum, Rodeo, and Hercules sit along the Carquinez Strait, while local landmarks like Cuttings Wharf and Refugio LDG suggest the importance of water-based commerce and transport in early 20th-century California.