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1950 Map of Taft

Name: 1950 Topographic Map of Taft
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1986
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1986

About this map

The massive Naval Petroleum Reserve No 1 and the surrounding Elk Hills dominate this landscape, illustrating the intense energy extraction focus of Kern County. Centered on the town of Taft, the map reveals a dense network of industrial infrastructure, including the Standard Oil Tank Farm and various petroleum settlements like Standard Oil Camp 1-C and Honolulu Oil Main Camp. These worker communities and institutional centers, such as the U S Geological Survey Camp Oil and Gas Div, reflect the specialized corporate geography that shaped the region’s development.

Local civic life is concentrated in the southern portion of the quadrangle, where Ford City, Taft Heights, and South Taft provide residential hubs. Historical researchers can identify numerous early educational sites, including Taft Union and HS, Roosevelt Sch, and Conley School. The terrain is marked by seasonal drainages like Buena Vista Creek and Sandy Creek, which cut through the Buena Vista Valley amid a sprawling grid of oil wells and pipelines.