1897 Map of San Jose

About this map

The grid of San Jose and neighboring Santa Clara anchor this late-nineteenth-century landscape, a time when the Santa Clara Valley was characterized by sprawling land grants and ranchos rather than suburban sprawl. Historic tracts and land claims like Pottero de Santa Clara and Yerba Buena delineate the terrain, while institutional landmarks such as the Asylum, County Infirmary, and the Santa Clara Co Alms House are prominent features on the valley floor. The map highlights the early rail infrastructure of the Southern Pacific RR, including the Santa Cruz Division and the New Almaden Branch. Waterways like the Guadalupe River and Coyote Creek flow toward the marshes near Alviso at the southern tip of the bay, while the eastern horizon is dominated by the Los Buellis Hills and the deep cleft of Alum Rock Canyon.