1947 Map of Salinas

About this map

The agricultural heart of Monterey County is captured here just after the war, centered on the expanding city of Salinas. The landscape is defined by traditional Mexican land grants like Rincon Del Zanjon and Nacional, which sit alongside the industrial infrastructure of the Southern Pacific railroad and the Spreckels Junction. To the northwest, the Fort Ord military reservation and East Garrison show the area's significant military footprint. Local genealogy is well-supported by numerous schools and landmarks, including Graves School, the Santa Rita Church, and the oddly named intersection of Confederate Corners. The presence of the Salinas River and its accompanying sloughs, such as Alisal Slough, illustrates the drainage patterns that enabled the region's productive valley farms, while outlying settlements like Old Hilltown and Santa Rita reveal the distribution of rural life during this era of growth.