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1947 Map of Spreckels

Name: 1947 Topographic Map of Spreckels
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1966
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1966

About this map

Industrial activity and ranching define this mid-century landscape along the Salinas River valley. The massive operations of the Spreckels Sugar Co dominate the northeastern corner, complete with its own company town of Spreckels, a series of settling ponds, and a S.P.R.R. rail spurs. This economic hub contrasts with the adjacent military presence of the Fort Ord Military Reservation, which occupies the high ridges of El Toro and El Chamisal.

South of the river, the terrain rises into the deep canyons of Corral de Tierra. Here, the map documents family-led agricultural history through the Bingamin Ranch and Guidotti Ranch. The transition of the region is evident at the Lincoln School (Abandoned) in the Corral de Tierra Valley, marking a shift in rural education. Deep canyons like Calera Canyon and San Benancio Gulch cut through the hills, illustrating the complex drainage patterns feeding into the Salinas valley.