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1959 Map of Newark

Name: 1959 Topographic Map of Newark
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1981
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1981

About this map

The vast Salt Evaporators of southern Alameda County dominate the shoreline in this mid-century survey, illustrating the industrial-scale salt production that defined the San Francisco Bay's eastern edge. Inland, the rapid post-war urbanization of the East Bay is evident as the Nimitz Freeway cuts through emerging residential districts. The map documents a critical period of consolidation for local identities, showing Union City (Alvarado), Union City (Decoto), and Fremont (Centerville District) as their historic cores begin to merge into a continuous suburban landscape.

Legacy infrastructure such as the Hetch Hetchy Aqueduct and the Southern Pacific railroad lines crisscross the terrain, supporting the growing population. Along the marshes and sloughs, smaller historical points like the water-bound settlement of Drawbridge and the former port at Mowry Landing offer a glimpse into the earlier maritime and rail-based economy of the region before the expansion of the San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge.