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1923 Map of Orangedale School

Name: 1923 Topographic Map of Orangedale School
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1943
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1943

About this map

The Kings River dictates the landscape of this 1920s Fresno County survey, where a complex network of irrigation infrastructure supported the burgeoning agricultural economy of the San Joaquin Valley. Key arteries like the Enterprise Canal, Gould Canal, and the Consolidated Flume Canal branch off the river to hydrate the foothills, illustrating the engineering required to sustain local citrus and fruit production. Small rail-side settlements and rural centers serve as anchors for the community, most notably the Orangedale School and the town of Piedra at the river's bend.

The Santa Fe and Topeka line provides the primary transportation link through the valley, passing near the settlements of Avocado and Gravesboro. This map captures the region before extensive modern development, showing the original drainage patterns of Byrd Slough and Lewis Creek alongside the precisely carved ditches and flumes. The transition from the flatlands into the more varied terrain of Tivy Valley provides a clear view of how early 20th-century settlers adapted their land use to the local topography.