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1899 Map of San Mateo

Name: 1899 Topographic Map of San Mateo
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1901
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1901

About this map

The Southern Pacific R.R. corridor dictates the industrial and residential growth of the Peninsula in the late nineteenth century, linking the emerging South San Francisco with the established town of San Mateo. The map illustrates a landscape in transition, where large land grants like Corral de Tierra (Palomares) and Pulgas meet the burgeoning rail-side developments of Burlingame and Baden Sta. Institutional presence is notable at the San Mateo Co. Alms House and the Industrial School near the San Francisco city line.

Hydraulic engineering for the growing population is evident in the reservoir systems of San Andreas Lake and Crystal Springs Lake, controlled by the Crystal Springs Dam and Stone Dam. Along the coast, the terrain remains largely undeveloped, defined by landmarks like Mussel Rock and Devils Slide. The presence of several large Cemeteries near Colma indicates the early establishment of the region as a primary necropolis for the city to the north.