1947 Map of Santa Rosa Hills

About this map

The Santa Ynez River carves its way through a complex landscape of coastal ranges just after the war, as documented by the Army Map Service. This interior section of Santa Barbara County reveals a network of canyons and watercourses like Canada de la Santa Rosa and El Jaro Creek that define the boundaries between the Santa Rita Hills, the Santa Rosa Hills, and the towering Santa Ynez Mountains. The map provides a detailed view of the rural infrastructure of the late 1940s, marking the remote San Julian School and the Rinconada Church as central points of community life. Large land holdings like Rancho Los Alamos and the small settlement at Anita show the persistent influence of historic land grants on the region's development. This survey, compiled from 1942 aerial photography and field-edited in 1947, reflects the rugged character of the Salsipuedes area during an era of significant post-war transition in California.