1929 Map of Mouth of Kern

About this map

Industrial expansion into the San Joaquin Valley is evident in this late-1920s topography, where the massive Buena Vista Lake Bed dominates the landscape south of the Elk Hills. The map captures a critical era for the region's energy sector, illustrating the physical infrastructure of the Honolulu Oil Company (Water Pumping Sta), the Midway Gas Company, and the Richfield Oil Company. These commercial installations and the accompanying Red Rim Tank Pipe sit adjacent to the protected lands of the Elk Hills Naval Reserve No. 1, highlighting the tension between private extraction and federal reserves during the period. Transport and irrigation networks are well-defined, from the Southern Pacific (Taft-Bakersfield Branch) running past Kyan Siding to the engineered paths of the Inlet Canal and Outlet Canal that manage the waters of the Kern River.