1896 Map of Redondo

About this map

Los Palos Verdes Hills dominate the southern coastline of this survey, rising sharply above the coastal plain before the massive suburban development of the twentieth century. The landscape is a network of Spanish-named ranchos and emerging railway settlements, with the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe and the L. A. Terminal R. R. driving growth toward the coast. Coastal activity centers on Port Ballona and the resort town of Redondo, while the interior shows early nodes like Inglewood and Gardena as distinct rail-stop communities. To the southeast, the maritime geography around Wilmington is visible in its early form, featuring the Wilmington Lagoon and the military landmark Drum Barracks. The map preserves the original drainage patterns of the region, including the expansive Nigger Slough and Ballona Creek, before modern channelization and land reclamation reshaped the Los Angeles basin.