1932 Map of Stevens

About this map

The Kern River and an intricate network of irrigation canals dominate this Central Valley landscape, surveyed in 1929 as the region’s agricultural and industrial identity was being forged. The Southern Pacific railroad cuts diagonally through the sheet, anchoring the settlement of Stevens and the loading point at Strand. The infrastructure of the early California oil industry is evident at the Rio Bravo Oil Pumping Sta, while local education is represented by the Munzer Sch and Buena Vista Sch. Heavy water management is the primary theme here, with the Rio Bravo Canal, Pioneer Canal, and Buena Vista Canal diverting water across the flat terrain to support ranching and farming. Local transit relies on early thoroughfares like Taft Highway and Bellevue Road, which follow the straight township and range lines typical of the county's development.