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1951 Map of Porterville

Name: 1951 Topographic Map of Porterville
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1952
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1952

About this map

The agricultural and transit hub of Porterville is defined by a dense grid of streets and schools, reflecting its status as a vital Tulare County center. The landscape is fundamentally shaped by water management, with the Friant Kern Canal cutting north-to-south and the Tule River and Porter Slough branching across the valley floor. Educational infrastructure is remarkably prominent, featuring numerous local campuses such as Roche Ave Sch, West Putnam Sch, and Vandalia School.

Outside the central town, smaller rail-side settlements like Zante, Lisko, and Ponca follow the tracks of the Southern Pacific and Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroads. To the east, the terrain rises sharply at Scenic Heights and Lewis Hill, providing a geographic boundary to the expanding valley floor. For genealogists and local historians, the presence of the St Anns Cem and the Porterville Airport provides specific touchstones for mid-century community life.