1953 Map of Midway

About this map

The boundary between Alameda and San Joaquin Counties cuts through this landscape of deep ravines and critical water infrastructure during a period of significant regional expansion. The map documents the sites of once-vibrant industrial settlements, including the Tesla, Pottery, and Carnegie locations along Corral Hollow Road, where coal and clay were once extracted. These historic nodes contrast with the massive civil engineering projects that came to define the area's modern role, specifically the Delta-Mendota Canal and the later addition of the California Aqueduct. Transportation remains a dominant theme, from the established tracks of the Southern Pacific and Western Pacific railroads to the modern development of the Altamont Speedway and the early stages of major road construction at Altamont Pass.