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1952 Map of Santa Barbara

Name: 1952 Topographic Map of Santa Barbara
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1968
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1968

About this map

The coastal frontage of Santa Barbara is defined by a dense grid of urban development stretching from the Pacific Ocean into the foothills of the Santa Ynez Mountains. At the heart of the settlement lies the Santa Barbara Pueblo Lands, bounded by the historic Santa Barbara Mission and institutional landmarks like the Art Museum and Courthouse. The map captures the city during a period of significant post-war expansion, with newer development extending into La Mesa and toward the residential enclave of Montecito.

Infrastructure such as Stearns Wharf and the Naval Reserve Center anchor the harbor, while the Southern Pacific railroad parallels the coastline. Natural corridors like Mission Creek and Sycamore Creek cut through the street grid, leading toward steep mountain trails and high points such as La Cumbre Peak. This survey also documents numerous educational institutions, including Santa Barbara College, Westmont College, and several neighborhood schools that supported the growing mid-century population.