1952 Map of Union Island

About this map

Union Island is defined by an intricate network of waterways and reclaimed agricultural land in the San Joaquin Delta of the early 1950s. The landscape is a testament to hydraulic engineering, featuring the Fabian and Bell Canal and Grant Line Canal alongside natural meandering channels like Salmon Slough and Tom Payne Slough. The land grant history remains visible through the El Pescadero (Pico and Naglee) boundary, which bisects the southern half of the sheet. Industrial and civic infrastructure is concentrated near the Southern Pacific railroad line, including a Sugar Refinery and several rural educational sites such as the David Bixler Sch and Naglee School. The map captures the area just as groundwater extraction and gas exploration were shaping the local economy, evidenced by scattered pumps and Gas Wells.