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1978 Map of San Jose

Name: 1978 Topographic Map of San Jose
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1978
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1978

About this map

The Santa Clara Valley serves as the focal point for this late-1970s survey, showing the rapid expansion of San Jose and surrounding communities like Sunnyvale and Campbell. The map captures a transition between the urbanized valley floor and the formidable terrain of the Santa Cruz Mountains to the west and the Sierra Azul range. To the east, the Lick Observatory sits atop the ridges, overlooking the sprawling suburban grid.

Beyond the residential development, the map details critical water infrastructure including the California Aqueduct and Delta-Mendota Canal feeding into the San Luis Reservoir. Historically significant sites like New Almaden are documented alongside major rail corridors for the Southern Pacific and Western Pacific railroads. The vast expanse of Henry W Coe State Park illustrates the preserved wilderness that borders the agrarian and industrial sections of Santa Clara and Alameda County.