Loading map...

1949 Map of Santa Ana

Name: 1949 Topographic Map of Santa Ana
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1949
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1949

About this map

Camp Pendleton and March Field anchor a landscape transitioning from agricultural heartlands to mid-century strategic hubs. This survey illustrates the dense orange groves and established town centers of Santa Ana, Anaheim, and Fullerton before the post-war suburban boom fully reshaped the region. Coastal settlements such as Oceanside, Laguna Beach, and Carlsbad appear alongside the intricate wetlands of Agua Hedionda Lagoon and Batiquitos Lagoon, while the interior reveals the vast, undeveloped expanses of the Cleveland National Forest and Anza-Borrego State Park.

Transportation networks define the era, with the Pacific Electric railroad and Union Pacific lines connecting the citrus belt to the desert. The map captures the significant water management systems of the day, including Lake Henshaw and the Santiago Reservoir, which supported the growing population. From the heights of Palomar Mountain to the depths of the Coachella Valley and the Salton Sea, the topography reflects the geographic diversity of Southern California at the end of the 1940s.