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1948 Map of Paso Robles

Name: 1948 Topographic Map of Paso Robles
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1962
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1962

About this map

Paso Robles and the surrounding agricultural heart of San Luis Obispo County are captured here just after the post-war shift in regional aviation and infrastructure. The Salinas River valley serves as the primary corridor for the Southern Pacific railroad and U S Highway 101, connecting a string of rural hubs including San Miguel, Templeton, and Atascadero. The landscape is a mix of alluvial terraces like San Lawrence Terrace and canyon-cut hillsides, where numerous windmills signify a deep reliance on groundwater for the local ranching and farming economy.

Institutional footprints are prominent, from the historic San Miguel Mission and Old Adobe to the sprawling Camp Roberts Military Reservation and the State Boys School. Local history researchers will find a dense network of early rural education, including the Pleasant Valley Sch and the already noted Bethel School (ABAND). Aviation history is represented by the Sherwood Airfield and the centrally located County Airport, reflecting the era's expanding transport network.