1912 Map of McKittrick

About this map

The Temblor Range and Elk Hills dominate this high-desert landscape in the early twentieth century, defining a region where the western edge of the San Joaquin Valley meets the remote interior basins of the Panorama Hills and Elkhorn Plain. The settlement of McKittrick sits at the terminus of a Southern Pacific branch line, serving as a vital hub for the emerging oil industry and surrounding ranch lands. Further south along the Sunset R. R., the towns of Fellows and Midland P.O. mark the development of the Midway-Sunset fields. This survey captures a specific ecological moment where the massive Soda Lake and the ephemeral Cuyama River define the local hydrology. Ranching history is deeply embedded in the terrain, with family-named landmarks like McAlesters Ranch and Sandiego Joe's scattered across the valleys and springs.