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1956 Map of Montara Mountain

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Montara Mountain
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1957
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1957

About this map

Montara Mountain dominates this coastal landscape, serving as a backdrop for the developing communities of the San Francisco Peninsula in the mid-1950s. Along the Pacific shoreline, small seaside settlements like Montara, Moss Beach, and Princeton sit near the Point Montara Light Station, while the eastern slopes transition into the suburban expansion of San Bruno, Millbrae, and Burlingame. The ridge lines are deeply tied to the region's infrastructure and history, featuring the San Andreas Rift Zone and essential water resources like San Andreas Lake and Pilarcitos Lake.

Evidence of early California history is preserved at the Sanchez Adobe and the Portola Expedition Historical Marker, contrasting with the modern scale of the San Francisco International Airport and the Southern Pacific rail line. The map also delineates the San Francisco Fish and Game Refuge, highlighting the preservation of open space amidst the burgeoning residential tracts and schools such as Capuchino High School.