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1944 Map of National City

Name: 1944 Topographic Map of National City
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1944
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1944

About this map

The coastal plain of San Diego Bay and the rising eastern foothills are captured here during a period of significant military and suburban expansion. Established communities like National City and Chula Vista are shown with their developing street grids, while the interior is dotted with smaller settlements such as Lincoln Acres, Lemon Grove, and Encanto. A striking concentration of memorial sites occupies the center of the sheet, including Mount Hope Cemetery and Greenwood Cemetery, signifying the area's established role as a regional hub for the deceased.

The Sweetwater River carves through the landscape, feeding into the Sweetwater Reservoir and shaping the topography of Sweetwater Valley. Transport and communications are central to the landscape, evidenced by the Southern Pacific (San Diego and Arizona) railroad line and the prominent Chollas Heights Naval Radio Sta, reflecting the strategic importance of this region in the years surrounding World War II. Large land grants like Ex Mission San Diego still define major property boundaries, anchoring the modern developments to their Spanish colonial origins.