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1912 Map of McKittrick

Name: 1912 Topographic Map of McKittrick
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1943
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1943

About this map

The Temblor Range and Caliente Range dominate this early 20th-century landscape, a region defined by the convergence of the San Joaquin Valley and the Elkhorn Plain. At this time, the area was a hub of nascent industrial activity and cattle ranching, marked by the arrival of the Southern Pacific RR and Sunset RR. These rail lines served burgeoning oil and ranching communities like McKittrick, Fellows, and Midland P.O., while the presence of the Buttonwillow School indicates a growing permanent population in the valley floor.

Water sources were the primary constraints on settlement, as evidenced by the numerous named wells and springs such as Big Spring and Sheep Springs. Land ownership is clearly delineated through family holdings like the McAlesters Ranch, Joe Santos Ranch, and the Spanish Ranch. Notable landmarks including Painted Rock and the vast Soda Lake offer a look at the topographical variety of the Kern and San Luis Obispo county borders before extensive 20th-century development altered the surface hydrology.