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1917 Map of San Juan Bautista

Name: 1917 Topographic Map of San Juan Bautista
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1940
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1940

About this map

Mission San Juan Bautista and the adjacent Patrick Breen park define the historic core of this region, where the Gabilan Range meets the agricultural valleys of the central coast. Surveyed in 1915, the map documents a landscape transitioning into a rail-connected industrial and farming hub. The Southern Pacific railroad is a dominant feature, linking vital centers like Watsonville Junction and Sargent, the latter of which sits near the Sargent Oil Fields.

Coastal geography is intricately detailed, showing the complex hydrology of Elkhorn Slough and Moro Cojo Slough alongside engineering efforts like Millers Canal. The density of rural education is evident through numerous named sites such as Lagunita School, Casserly School, and the St Francis Orphan Asylum. Terrain labels like Los Carneros (Littlejohn) and Las Aromitas y Agua Caliente reflect the deep-rooted land grant history of the Pajaro and San Benito river valleys.