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1944 Map of Potrero

Name: 1944 Topographic Map of Potrero
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1944
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1944

About this map

The international border between the United States and Mexico defines the southern edge of this 1942 survey, where the Custom House at Tecate stands as a primary crossing point. Inland, the landscape is shaped by the water management systems of the era, notably the vast reservoirs of Barrett Lake and Morena Lake connected by Cottonwood Creek. Small agricultural and transit nodes like Potrero and Barrett Junction serve as local centers, providing essential services through the Potrero School and Barrett School.

Transit through the backcountry is dominated by the winding route of the San Diego & Arizona Eastern railroad, which threads through the canyons near Canyon City. The map reveals a rugged terrain of high peaks and hidden valleys, including Skye Valley and Stokes Valley, much of which is protected within the Cleveland National Forest. From the high vantage of the Tecate Pk Lookout to the livestock operations at McAlmond Ranch, the sheet documents a rural San Diego County defined by ranching and vital water infrastructure.