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1919 Map of San Luis Ranch

Name: 1919 Topographic Map of San Luis Ranch
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1941
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1941

About this map

The San Joaquin River meanders through this portion of Merced County, shaping a complex landscape of wetlands and seasonal watercourses during the late 1910s. The region is characterized by extensive land grants like the Sanjon De Santa Rita, where the hydrology of the Central Valley is on full display through features like Mariposa Slough and Mud Slough. These waterways were critical to the early ranching operations that defined the local economy before modern irrigation transformed the valley.

Evidence of early transit and settlement is sparse but significant, including the Old Dickenson Ferry crossing and the linear path of the Old Santa Fe Grade. For genealogists and local historians, the map identifies specific family-held tracts such as the San Luis Ranch, Fremont Ranch, and Underwood Ranch, providing a precise look at property and infrastructure in this riparian corridor before mid-century development.