1943 Map of Santa Cruz Island C

About this map

The central ridges and northern coastlines of Santa Cruz Island are depicted here as they were documented by Fairchild Aerial Surveys during World War II. The island's topography is dominated by peaks like Mt Pleasant and Valley Peak, which overlook a series of strategic maritime points. Along the northern shore, the Santa Barbara Channel meets the land at Prisoners Harbor and Chinese Harbor, where a lone Lookout Cabin stands as one of the few man-made structures recorded. This era of mapping focused on the literal shape of the terrain and its accessibility from the sea, noting specific deep-water locations such as Valley Anchorage and Coches Prietos Anchorage on the southern coast. The lack of interior infrastructure highlights the island's isolation before modern developments, preserving a record of the shoreline from Potato Harbor to Pelican Bay in its mid-century state.