1949 Map of San Clemente

About this map

San Clemente sits at the edge of the Gulf of Santa Catalina, defined in the late 1940s by its growing street grid and the iconic San Clemente Pier. The landscape transition from coastal settlement to the interior is sharp, as the City Boundary gives way to the vast Mission Viejo and Santa Margarita y Las Flores land grants. Inland, the terrain is carved by deep canyons like Cañada Segunda Deshecha and Cañada del Gabino, showing a largely undeveloped backcountry used for ranching and resource extraction, including a Clay Mine near Cristianitos Creek.