Loading map...

1954 Map of Rio Bravo

Name: 1954 Topographic Map of Rio Bravo
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1966
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1966

About this map

The Southern San Joaquin Valley agriculture and petroleum industry converge in this 1954 survey of Kern County. Centered on the Rio Bravo Field, the landscape is a grid of section lines, canals, and industrial infrastructure, including an Oil Pumping Sta and numerous pipelines. The map captures specialized communities like the Mexican Colony, Cherokee Strip, and the Farm Labor Center, reflecting the labor history and social organization of the Central Valley during the post-war era.

Transportation is dominated by the heavy presence of the Southern Pacific and Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroads, which facilitated the movement of goods from settlements like Shafter and Rio Bravo. Educational hubs such as the Rio Bravo Union School and Kern Jr Academy anchor the rural crossroads, while family-named junctions like Smith Corner and Calders Corner mark key points in the regional road network.