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1961 Map of Palo Alto

Name: 1961 Topographic Map of Palo Alto
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1963
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1963

About this map

Stanford University and the surrounding tech-corridor communities of Palo Alto, Mountain View, and Sunnyvale appear here during a period of massive suburban and industrial expansion. The map details a landscape transitioning from the bayfront marshes near Alviso and Cooley Landing to the established neighborhoods along El Camino Real. Significant institutional and military footprints dominate the eastern flats, including the sprawling Naval Air Station Moffett Field and the Ames Research Center, while the Southern Pacific railroad provides the backbone for the corridor's growth.

In the western hills, the terrain remains less densely developed, characterized by landmarks like Searsville Lake and the Permanente Cement Plant. This area shows the early footprints of Los Altos Hills and Portola Valley as they began to fill the spaces between the Santa Cruz Mountains and the valley floor. Educational and religious institutions are particularly dense on this sheet, featuring sites like Menlo Sch and College and the Maryknoll Seminary.