1951 Map of Rutherford

About this map

Napa River viticulture and valley life are captured here during the early 1950s, a period when the agricultural identity of the region was centered on small settlements like Rutherford and Oakville. The map illustrates the specialized landscape of the valley floor, where several wineries are marked along the St Helena Highway and the Southern Pacific railroad line. To the west, the terrain rises sharply into the mountains, hiding the La Joya Quicksilver Mine and Bella Oak Mine, alongside family-named landmarks such as Campbell Flat and Montgomery. This survey provides a rare look at infrastructure before later expansion, showing the Daniel Airfield and the remote Enterprise Sch perched above Dry Creek. From the waters of Lake Hennessey in the northeast to the heights of Mt Veeder, the map details a rural California economy balancing mining, farming, and the early stages of its world-famous wine industry.