1896 Map of San Pedro

About this map

The hills of Los Palos Verdes dominate this coastal survey, rising to San Pedro Hill as they overlook the Pacific. Along the eastern shoreline, the industrial roots of San Pedro are clearly visible at the end of the nineteenth century. Two major rail lines, the L.A. Terminal R.R. and the S.P.R.R. (San Pedro Branch), converge on the harbor to service the growing maritime trade. The map documents a vanishing coastal geography, depicting island features like Rattlesnake Id. and Deadman Id. before decades of harbor development and dredging altered the San Pedro Bay waterfront. Inland, the landscape remains largely open, defined by topographical points such as Portuguese Pt. and the prominent Point Fermin LH, which stood as a primary navigational landmark for vessels entering the bay.