1961 Map of Palo Alto

About this map

Stanford University sits at the heart of this mid-century survey, surrounded by the rapid suburban expansion of Palo Alto, Menlo Park, and Redwood City. The landscape shows a distinct division between the dense residential blocks of the Peninsula and the undeveloped foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains to the southwest. Along the San Francisco Bay, extensive Salt Evaporators and sloughs like Ravenswood Slough and Westpoint Slough define the northern shoreline. The transportation network is anchored by the Southern Pacific railroad and the Bayshore Freeway, tracing the corridor of growth. Institutional presence is heavy throughout, from the sprawling campus of Stanford with its Stadium, Radio Telescope, and Lagunita, to private educational landmarks like St Patricks Seminary and Menlo Sch and College. The map also captures numerous neighborhood schools and parks, such as Sequoia High Sch and Rinconada Park, that served the post-war population boom.