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1949 Map of San German SO

Name: 1949 Topographic Map of San German SO
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1949
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1949

About this map

Laguna Cartagena dominates the central lowlands of this 1949 survey, situated within the fertile Valle de Lajas. The landscape is a study in transition between the steep northern hills and the expansive agricultural flats. The American Railroad of Porto Rico cuts across the valley floor, providing a vital transportation artery for the historic agricultural estates of the region, including Hacienda Desengaño, Hacienda Resolución, and Hacienda Luisa. These estates and the surrounding small settlements like Guanábana and El Brujo suggest an economy deeply tied to the land and the rail network.

Religious and community landmarks are scattered across the terrain, from the Iglesia Presbiteriana in the valley to the Capilla de las Tunas and Capilla de Paris further north. High points like Cerro Mariquita and Cerro Quemado frame the valley, while a network of streams including Quebrada Grande and Quebrada Margara drain the uplands. This map provides a detailed view of Southwest Puerto Rico’s rural character before mid-century modernization altered many of these traditional settlement patterns.