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1917 Map of Morgan Hill

Name: 1917 Topographic Map of Morgan Hill
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1917
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1917

About this map

The Santa Clara Valley serves as a productive agricultural corridor in this 1915 survey, anchored by the growing town of Morgan Hill and the established hub of Gilroy. The Southern Pacific Railroad and the primary State Highway parallel each other through the center of the valley, driving the development of shipping points like Madrone, Tennant, and San Martin. This transport spine connects the ranching and orchard lands of the flat valley floor to the dramatic rising topography of the Santa Cruz Mountains to the west and Pine Ridge to the east.

Local infrastructure is notably detailed, showing the Gilroy Waterworks Dam and a series of rural education centers including Adams School, Live Oak School, and Encinal School. To the south, the transition from Old Gilroy to the modern rail-aligned city is evident, while the western foothills reveal early leisure and residential sites like Redwood Retreat. The map also captures the sprawling historical boundaries of the San Francisco De Las Llagas and Ojo De Agua De La Coche land grants, which still influenced property lines in the early twentieth century.