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1947 Map of Spreckels

Name: 1947 Topographic Map of Spreckels
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1948
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1948

About this map

Spreckels serves as the industrial anchor for this 1947 landscape, dominated by the sugar beet industry and the nearby Salinas River. The town's grid is clearly defined alongside settling ponds and a pumping station, illustrating the heavy infrastructure required for large-scale agricultural processing. To the west, the extensive Fort Ord Military Reservation covers a significant portion of the terrain, marked by a network of ridges such as Pilarcitos Ridge and tactical landmarks like Jacks Ranger Station.

Tracing south through the Corral de Tierra Valley, the map reveals a decentralized ranching economy represented by the Guidotti Ranch and Bingamin Ranch. Educational hubs like the Washington Union School and the Lincoln School (At Azanjanes) are positioned to serve these rural communities. The arrival of the Southern Pacific railroad line along the river provides the vital transportation link for moving goods from the valley floor to larger markets.