1899 Map of Palo Alto

About this map

Stanford University and Catholic University anchor the developing landscape of the Peninsula at the close of the 19th century. The Southern Pacific RR carves a path through growing settlements like Menlo Park, Palo Alto, and Mayfield, while the historic Spanish land grants—represented here by labels such as Rincon de San Francisquito and Pastoria de las Borregas—still define the parceling of the valley floor. To the west, the topography rises sharply toward Monte Bello Ridge and Black Mountain, where deep canyons like El Corte de Madera remain largely unsettled.