1922 Map of Ortigalita

About this map

Panoche de San Juan and Los Carrisalitos define the southern reaches of this Merced County survey, revealing a landscape etched by a complex network of seasonal drainages. Established drainage patterns are dominated by the winding path of Los Banos Creek and Ortigalita Creek, which cut through the terrain toward the valley floor. The map captures the early 20th-century infrastructure of the region, anchored by the Oil Pumping Station in the northeast and the isolated Ortigalita School further south. These features, along with Carrisalito Spring, highlight a period when local life was tied closely to water sources and emerging industrial transport. The layout of section lines and early roads suggests a sparsely populated area where cattle ranching and early petroleum interests were beginning to shape the rural geography.