1916 Map of Montpellier

About this map

Montpellier and Hickman serve as the primary nodes of activity in this 1913 survey of the Central Valley transition into the Sierra foothills. The landscape is defined by the early engineering of the Turlock Irrigation Ditch, which cuts through the western plains to support local agriculture. The Southern Pacific railroad corridor establishes the region's commercial backbone, connecting these small settlements to wider markets. To the south and east, the map traces the Boundary Line separating Stanislaus Co and Merced Co, where the terrain begins to rise and undulate more sharply. This 1:31,680 scale survey, conducted under Chief Geographer R. B. Marshall, documents the precise layout of the Oakdale Branch and the sparse network of rural roads that linked these early ranching and farming communities at the height of the Progressive Era.