1943 Map of San Mateo

About this map

San Francisco and its southern peninsula suburbs appear here in a wartime 1943 survey, revealing the dense infrastructure and topography of the region during the height of World War II. The landscape is characterized by the massive ridgelines of San Bruno Mountain and Montara Mountain, which dictated the corridor of growth for communities like Daly City, South San Francisco, and San Mateo. Along the eastern shore, industrial landmarks such as Pier 92 and the piers at Hunter Pt highlight the importance of the bay for naval and commercial operations. Inland, a cluster of historic cemeteries in Colma, including Mt Olivet Memorial Park and Cypress Lawn Cem, marks a distinct land-use pattern that remains a defining feature of the area today. The map also traces critical transport links like the Southern Pacific railroad and the early San Mateo Bridge Toll Bridge.