1898 Map of Pomona

About this map

The San Gabriel Timber Reserve dominates the northern half of this 1894 survey, protecting the steep canyons and ridges of the San Gabriel Mountains before they descend into the rapidly developing citrus and agricultural valleys below. This period captures the early footprint of the San Gabriel Valley's railroad towns, where the Southern Pacific Railroad and the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad dictated the growth of settlements like Azusa, Covina, and Lordsburg. Large Mexican land grant divisions such as La Puente and San Jose are still clearly delineated, showing the transition from ranchos to subdivided townships. Water infrastructure is critical to the landscape, evidenced by the Azusa Ditch and Covina Canal drawing from the San Gabriel River. The map also preserves vanished or renamed place names from the late nineteenth century, including Alosta and Rowland Siding.