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1914 Map of Merced

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

USGS Topo · Published 1914

About this map

Merced serves as the focal point of this 1914 survey, depicted as a developing central California hub defined by its critical railroad junctions. The city's grid is positioned between the Southern Pacific and the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe main line, reflecting its early importance as a shipping and transit point for the San Joaquin Valley. Key public infrastructure is already established, including the Merced County Hospital on the city's western edge.

The surrounding agricultural landscape is dotted with rural educational centers like Merced Colony School, Farmdale School, and Tuttle Grammar School. To the north, the terrain transitions into the low hills surrounding Yosemite Lake, while the plains are dissected by numerous waterways including Black Rascal Creek, Bear Creek, and Owens Creek. These natural features, alongside the State Highway, illustrate the early 20th-century transportation network that supported the region's ranching and farming economy.