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1959 Map of Taylor Canyon

Name: 1959 Topographic Map of Taylor Canyon
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1961
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1961

About this map

The Cuyama Valley defines this arid stretch along the boundary of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties, where the Cuyama River snakes through the high desert floor. This 1959 field check reveals a landscape dominated by historic land grants and ranching operations, including the Spanish Ranch and Green Valley Ranch No 2. Significant portions of the southwestern terrain are protected within the Los Padres National Forest, characterized by the steep canyons of the Sierra Madre Mts and Mustang Canyon.

To the north, the Caliente Range rises above the valley, marked by a series of north-south drainages such as Taylor Canyon and Red Rock Canyon. The map records vital water sources in this dry climate, specifically Taylor Spring and Pearson Spring, alongside several isolated wells. Traces of early land ownership are preserved through surveyed boundaries like those of Maria Antonia De La Guerra Y Lataillade and the Heirs of Cesario Lataillade, offering unique insight into the region's Spanish and Mexican heritage.