1955 Map of Morgan Hill

About this map

The Santa Clara Valley corridor is prominently defined by the Southern Pacific railroad and the historical Monterey Road, which serve as the spine for early agricultural and industrial development. This 1955 survey, with later revisions, shows the transition from a rural ranching economy toward suburban expansion, centered on the growing community of Morgan Hill. Large water management projects like Anderson Lake and the Chesbro Reservoir stand out as critical infrastructure for the valley's orchards and vineyards. Local education centers such as Encinal School, Burnett Sch, and Llagas School are distributed across the landscape, marking the footprint of historic school districts. From the industrial Gravel Pit operations near Pigeon Point to the Wm F James Boys Ranch, the map captures a diverse range of land uses before the intense urbanization of late-20th-century California.