1961 Map of Palo Alto

About this map

The Southern Pacific rail line and the Bayshore Freeway define the industrial and residential spine of the San Francisco Peninsula during this mid-century period of rapid expansion. Massive Salt Evaporators dominate the shoreline near Ravenswood Slough, contrasting with the manicured grounds of Stanford University and the Stanford Golf Course to the southwest. The emergence of the high-tech era is physically marked by the massive Linear Accelerator stretching across the landscape near Jasper Ridge. From the administrative centers of Redwood City with its Courthouse and City Hall to the quiet wooded residential reaches of Portola Valley and Woodside, the map captures a suburban landscape in transition. Significant institutional footprints are visible at the Veterans Hospital and St Patricks Seminary, while numerous local schools like Taft Sch and Jordan Jr High Sch serve the growing postwar neighborhoods.