1942 Map of Potrero

About this map

Cleveland National Forest dominates this inland San Diego County landscape, surveyed during the early 1940s. The region is defined by its critical water infrastructure and international boundary, with Barrett Lake and Morena Lake serving as central features. The engineering of the Barrett Dam and the smaller Mary Joe Dam illustrate the mid-century focus on water management in this arid environment. To the south, the map details the border corridor where State Highway No 94 winds through Barrett Junction and Potrero toward the international crossing at Tecate. A Custom House sits directly on the United States Mexico border, marking a point of transit alongside the San Diego & Arizona Eastern RR. Remote educational outposts like Barrett Sch and Potrero Sch point to the scattered rural population centers that supported the local ranching and border-town economies during this era.