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1956 Map of San Mateo

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of San Mateo
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1984
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1984

About this map

San Francisco Bay defines the eastern edge of this coastal landscape, where the mid-century expansion of San Mateo and Burlingame meets the reclaimed lands of Brewer Island. The map illustrates a period of intense post-war suburbanization, indicated by the purple tinting of newer developments like Foster City and the sprawling Fiesta Gardens. Transportation networks are a primary focus, featuring the Southern Pacific rail line and the growing corridor of the Bayshore Freeway.

Notable cultural landmarks include the Bay Meadows Racetrack and the Fiesta Grounds, which served as the county fairgrounds. Significant institutional presence is visible through sites like the College of Notre Dame and the Alexander Sanitarium. To the west, the topography rises toward Pulgas Ridge and the Game Refuge, preserving the critical watershed of the Crystal Springs Reservoir system, including the Rift Zone geological feature.