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1954 Map of Oil Center

Name: 1954 Topographic Map of Oil Center
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1970
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1970

About this map

Kern River Oil Field dominates the landscape of this 1954 survey, which covers the northern reaches of Bakersfield and its industrial outskirts during a period of significant mid-century expansion. The map details the dense network of tanks and pipelines serving oil industry hubs like Oil Center, Oil City, and Maltha. Along the winding Kern River, the transition from industrial extraction to civic recreation is evident at the Hart Memorial Unit and Kern River State Park.

Genealogists and local historians can trace the urban growth of East Bakersfield and identify key institutional landmarks of the era, including Bakersfield College, Garces High Sch, and the County Hospital. The presence of the Southern Pacific railroad sidings at Volcan and Treadwell illustrates the heavy rail-dependence of the region's petroleum economy. Notably, the map records the historic Gordons Ferry (Site), marking an old crossing point on the river long since bypassed by the modern Pacific Highway.