1955 Map of San Felipe

About this map

San Felipe Lake and the wetlands of the Tequisquita Slough dominate the low-lying basin where Santa Clara and San Benito counties meet. This mid-century landscape is defined by the transition from the high relief of the Ausaymas y San Felipe land grant down into the alluvial Hollister Valley. Small agricultural hubs like San Felipe and Dunneville anchor a network of rural roads, including Lovers Lane and Shore Road, which service the sprawling fields of the Llano de l Bolsa. The Southern Pacific railroad line cuts across the valley floor, connecting the pastoral outskirts of Hudner to larger markets. Infrastructure of the era is evident in the development of the Hollister Municipal Airport and numerous local schools such as Pacheco Sch and Fairhaven Sch, serving a dispersed farming community during a period of steady California expansion.