1951 Map of Taft
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1951 Map of Taft

USGS Topo · Published 1951

About this map

The industrial landscape of the Kern County oil fields is meticulously documented in this 1951 survey, dominated by the massive acreage of Naval Petroleum Reserve No 1 and Naval Petroleum Reserve No 2. The city of Taft serves as the central hub for this energy-rich corridor, surrounded by residential districts like Taft Heights and South Taft. This map offers a rare look at the specialized company settlements of the era, including numerous Standard Oil camps and the Honolulu Oil Main Camp, which housed workers and their families directly within the fields. Beyond the oil infrastructure, local life is visible through institutions like the Taft Union HS and JC, Jefferson School, and the social Petroleum Club. The topography transitions from the active drilling sites on Spellacy Hill and the Buena Vista Hills down into the Buena Vista Valley, illustrating how the boom-town geography was dictated by the underlying geology.


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Map Details

Date Portrayed1951
Date Published1951
PublisherU.S. Geological Survey
Map TypeTopographic
Scale1:24,000
Physical Dimensions22 x 26.7 inches

Editions of this 1951 Taft Map

This is the sole edition of this map. No revisions or reprints were ever made.


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Source Details

CopyrightPublic Domain