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1959 Map of Richmond

Name: 1959 Topographic Map of Richmond
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1969
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1969

About this map

Richmond and the industrial East Bay waterfront are captured here during a period of significant postwar expansion, particularly visible in the suburban growth around El Sobrante and the San Pablo Ridge. The map shows a landscape defined by heavy industry and transportation, anchored by the Richmond Yard and the extensive San Pablo Tank Farm. The shoreline is heavily modified, featuring the Santa Fe Channel, several shipyards, and the Richmond Inner Harbor.

Further inland, the residential character of El Cerrito, Albany, and northern Berkeley is established, punctuated by local landmarks like Golden Gate Fields and the Berryman Quarry. Public education and recreation are prominent, from the Richmond Union HS to the sprawling Tilden Regional Park. These details document the transition of the shoreline from a purely industrial zone to an integrated urban corridor as purple photo-revisions from the late 1960s illustrate the advancing residential footprint into the hills.