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1947 Map of Spreckels

Name: 1947 Topographic Map of Spreckels
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1984
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1984

About this map

The Salinas River flows through the fertile Llano De Buena Vista in this post-war record of Monterey County, centered on the company town of Spreckels. The map documents a landscape defined by large land grants and ranching heritage, with prominent boundaries for Corral De Tierra and Los Laurelles clearly delineated among the steep coastal ridges. This 1947 survey, later updated with 1980s urban expansion data, shows the proximity of the Fort Ord Military Reservation to emerging recreational spaces like the Laguna Seca Recreation Area.

Tracing the drainage of Harper Creek and Watson Creek, the map reveals the layout of rural education and private estates, including the Washington Union School and family-held lands such as Bingamin Ranch. The terrain transitions from the alluvial plains along River Road to the sharp elevation of Pilarcitos Ridge, capturing the region before intensive modern development altered these historic ranching corridors.