1954 Map of Millux

About this map

The industrial and agricultural landscape of Kern County is meticulously documented in this mid-century survey, centered on the Millux settlement. At this time, the region was defined by a massive network of petroleum infrastructure, dominated by the Paloma Oil Refinery and extensive clusters of Oil Sumps and Oil Tanks. These industrial sites are juxtaposed with the hydrological transformations of the Buena Vista Lake Bed, where the Connecting Slough and channels like the New Hill Ditch and Old Rim Ditch reveal the effort to manage water in an arid basin. The map captures a moment when the Approximate Old Shoreline remained a visible trace on the landscape, even as the Buena Vista Pipe Line and numerous other conduits redirected the area's natural resources for modern use.