1917 Map of Morgan Hill

About this map

The Santa Clara Valley is captured here in a period of agricultural development, dominated by the linear path of the Southern Pacific RR and the burgeoning community at Morgan Hill. In this era before widespread suburbanization, the landscape is defined by vast land grants like San Francisco De Las Llagas and Ojo De Agua De La Coche, with the town of San Martin and the village of Madrone serving as central hubs for rural life. To the west, the Santa Cruz Mountains rise sharply, dotted with isolated landmarks such as Redwood Retreat and Mt Madonna. The map reveals a network of country schools, including Encinal School and Adams School, which anchored the scattered farmsteads of Paradise Valley. Notable infrastructure of the time, such as the Gilroy Waterworks Dam on Uvas Creek, reflects the early management of water in this productive valley long before the arrival of modern reservoirs.