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1951 Map of Port Chicago

Name: 1951 Topographic Map of Port Chicago
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1956
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1956

About this map

Suisun Bay and the surrounding marshlands of the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta define this industrial and maritime landscape at the mid-century. The map captures a critical period for Port Chicago and the neighboring Naval Reservation, showing the extensive network of the Southern Pacific and Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroads serving the waterfront. Significant industrial infrastructure is visible along the Carquinez Strait, including the Oil Refinery at Avon and multiple Oil Tanks situated near the Mokelumne Aqueduct.

Beyond the heavy industry, the map details the reclamation of the delta through a system of levees on Morrow Island and Simmons Island. Private sporting interests are noted by the presence of the Mullen Club and Ehman Club in the wetlands, while the inland areas show the residential development of Clyde and the municipal services of the Filtration Plant near Mallard Reservoir. This document offers a precise view of Contra Costa's transition from a marshy frontier to a vital logistics and energy hub.