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1917 Map of San Juan Bautista

Name: 1917 Topographic Map of San Juan Bautista
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1931
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1931

About this map

Mission San Juan Bautista and the adjacent Patrick Breen property anchor the historic center of this region where the Santa Cruz Mountains meet the Gabilan Range. The landscape is a complex series of Mexican land grants, or Bolsas, such as Salsipuedes and Bolsa de San Cayetano, reflecting the deep Spanish and Mexican heritage of the area. Industrial activity is visible at the Sargent Oil Fields and the Cement Works near the San Juan Bautista townsite.

Transportation is dominated by the Southern Pacific railroad, which follows the Pajaro River through the narrow Pajaro Gap near Soda Lake. This corridor links agricultural settlements like Aromas and Old Gilroy to coastal outlets. The map also documents a dense network of rural education, including the St Francis Orphan Asylum and numerous schoolhouses like Carlton School and Lagunita School, illustrating the settled nature of these valleys in the early twentieth century.