Loading map...

1956 Map of San Luis Obispo

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of San Luis Obispo
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1976
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1976

About this map

San Luis Obispo and the central coast of California are depicted here during a period of significant mid-century development. The Southern Pacific railroad and U S 101 serve as the primary north-south corridors, connecting a string of coastal and inland communities from San Simeon down through Pismo Beach. The landscape is defined by its dramatic transition from the rugged Santa Lucia Range and Los Padres National Forest in the west to the stark agricultural and tectonic features of the Carrizo Plain and the San Andreas Rift Valley in the east.

Large-scale land use is evident in the expansive Hunter Liggett Military Reservation and Camp Roberts Military Reservation, which occupy vast tracts of the northern interior. Water management is highlighted by the Nacimiento Reservoir and the drainage of the Salinas River. Along the shore, distinct coastal landforms like Point Piedras Blancas and Morro Bay provide essential landmarks for navigating this stretch of the Pacific coast.