1953 Map of Pond

About this map

The Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroad corridor anchors this agricultural landscape in the San Joaquin Valley, connecting the small settlements of Pond and Elmo. The grid-like survey pattern is defined by family-named thoroughfares such as Schuster Road, Mettler Road, and Hiett Ave, reflecting the systematic development of the Kern County countryside during the mid-1950s. While irrigation infrastructure like the Canal and Levee system in the south suggest intensive land management, a large US Govt Reservation and several private Landing Strips point to the area's diverse usage. Education for the surrounding farming families was centralized at the Pondham Sch, located just east of the main rail line. The natural meandering of Poso Creek contrasts sharply with the rigid township sections and the industrial Seepage Ponds near the Calloway Ave crossing.