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1947 Map of Salinas NE

Name: 1947 Topographic Map of Salinas NE
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1947
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1947

About this map

Agricultural enterprise and coastal logistics define this 1940s landscape along the southern coast of Puerto Rico. The town of Salinas serves as a central hub, connected to the sugar industry via the Linea Ponce and Guayama railroad and the Central Caribe mill. The surrounding terrain is heavily partitioned into various estates and settlements, including Hacienda Margarita, Hacienda Carmen, and Colonia Fortuna, illustrating the era's land use patterns. Irrigation infrastructure is prominent, with the Canal de Patillas and Canal de Guamani cutting across the coastal plain to support the local plantations.

Along the shoreline, the geography shifts to wetlands and mangrove-rich areas near Mar Negro and Playa Salinas. In the uplands, Cerro Modesto provides a literal high point overlooking the Military Reservation and the expansive sugar fields. This topographic record reflects the critical balance between industrial transport and maritime access just before mid-century modernization transformed the region.