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1953 Map of Sacate

Name: 1953 Topographic Map of Sacate
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1954
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1954

About this map

The Santa Ynez Mountains rise abruptly from the Pacific Ocean along this stretch of the Gaviota Coast in the early 1950s. The landscape is defined by the Nuestra Señora Del Refugio land grant, where deep canyons—locally labeled as cañadas—drain toward the Santa Barbara Channel. This rugged geography restricted development to a narrow coastal terrace, occupied by the Southern Pacific railroad and small railside settlements.

Remote outposts such as Sacate, Drake, and San Augustine sit at the mouths of these canyons, providing access to the interior ranching lands. At the Santa Anita Ranch, a water tank and localized infrastructure support the operations of this historic coastal holdings. The map documents a sparsely populated but industrial coastline, where a seawall and railroad grade are the primary human imprints against the surf, and a jeep trail provides the only high-ground passage through the hills.