Loading map...

1947 Map of Natividad

Name: 1947 Topographic Map of Natividad
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1969
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1969

About this map

The city of Salinas expands across the fertile valley floor in this mid-century survey, revealing a landscape where agricultural heritage meets rapid postwar suburban growth. The map illustrates the transition from traditional land grants like Sausal and El Alisal (Bernal) into a modern urban grid, marked by the emergence of numerous new schools such as Alisal High Sch and El Sausal Jr High Sch. To the southeast, the Salinas Municipal Airport and the Hartnell College (East Campus) establish significant institutional footprints near the winding Alisal Slough.

Beyond the growing city limits, the terrain rises sharply into the Gabilan Range, where Cienega del Gabilan Canyon cuts through the uplands. Historical settlement patterns are preserved in the cluster at Natividad and the presence of Old Stage Road, while more temporary installations like Camp McCallum and the Rifle Range highlight the region's diverse mid-century land use. The extensive presence of Greenhouses scattered throughout the valley underscores the area's continued reliance on intensive specialty agriculture during this era of transformation.