Loading map...

1940 Map of Oil Center

Name: 1940 Topographic Map of Oil Center
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1940
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1940

About this map

Oil production and water management dominate this portion of the southern San Joaquin Valley, where the Kern River carves through the terrain northeast of Bakersfield. The landscape is heavily marked by the infrastructure of the early 20th-century petroleum industry, centering on the eponymous settlement of Oil Center and nearby worker hubs like Oildale, Treadwell, and Volcan. Educational needs for these growing industrial communities are evidenced by the presence of Petroleum Sch and Azalea Sch.

Water control is represented by the Beardsley Canal and Beardsley Weir, which diverted the river's flow for local agriculture and industry. To the southeast, the Highway and Nile Street Road provide early vehicular access, while the Southern Pacific railroad line anchors the industrial corridor. Recreational development also appears near the river bend at Kern River Park, offering a contrast to the dense network of wells and tanks that defined this era's economic landscape.