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1943 Map of San Pedro

Name: 1943 Topographic Map of San Pedro
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1943
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1943

About this map

The Los Palos Verdes Hills and the rugged coastline of Santa Monica Bay dominate this 1943 tactical study, which captures the South Bay and Gateway Cities during the height of the war effort. The map reveals an intensive network of aviation and petroleum infrastructure, including Hughes Airport, Vultee Field, and numerous oil fields and oil tanks concentrated around Torrance and Wilmington. The coastal landscape is marked by prominent maritime landmarks such as Point Fermin and the extensive Long Beach Breakwater, while the interior shows the early density of communities like Inglewood, Compton, and South Gate.

Industry and transport define the era, with the Pacific Electric and Southern Pacific rail lines weaving through a landscape still punctuated by the natural drainage of the Los Angeles River and Nigger Slough. From Loyola University in the north to the busy maritime activity at Terminal Island and Los Angeles Harbor, the sheet documents a critical moment of industrialization and urban expansion along the Southern California coast.