1956 Map of Santa Rosa

About this map

The agricultural landscape of the Rio Grande Valley is defined here by a sophisticated network of water management and rail transport during the mid-1950s. The North Floodway and its Pilot Channel cut a wide swath across the terrain, flanked by a series of levees and an Elevated Ditch system designed to control the seasonal flow of water. These engineering works supported the surrounding citrus groves and fields, anchored by the settlements of Santa Rosa and Sebastian. The rail economy is clearly visible where the Missouri Pacific and the Texas and New Orleans lines intersect the grid-like road system. For genealogists, the map preserves the locations of several community burial grounds, including Santa Rita Cem, Guadalupe Cem, and San Rafael Cem, alongside family-named thoroughfares such as Cantu Road and Rabb Road.