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1948 Map of Santa Maria

Name: 1948 Topographic Map of Santa Maria
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1948
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1948

About this map

Santa Maria and the surrounding central coast valleys are captured here in the late 1940s, a period of transition from wartime military footprints to postwar agricultural and industrial expansion. The massive Camp Cooke Military Reservation dominates the coastline between Purisima Point and Point Arguello, while the Southern Pacific railroad corridor links coastal stops like Surf and Tangair to the interior hubs of Lompoc and Guadalupe.

Evidence of the region's rural character persists in the many family-named landmarks and local institutions, such as the Honda School and San Julian School. Further inland, the map details the rugged Santa Ynez Mountains and the expanse of the Los Padres National Forest, punctuated by the Figueroa Guard Station. Offshore, the detailed topography of San Miguel Island and Santa Rosa Island provides a clear view of the Channel Islands' coastline, from Bechers Bay to Sandy Point, before modern environmental protections restricted widespread access.