1950 Map of Venice

About this map

Los Angeles International Airport anchors this mid-century coastal study, shown during a period of massive transition as denoted by the large Airport Expansion Area pushing south toward El Segundo. The landscape is a dense grid of post-war development, featuring dozens of new educational institutions such as Westchester Jr HS, Westport Hts Sch, and Kentwood Sch. Oil infrastructure remains a visible part of the economy, with a large Refinery and numerous oil wells dotting the coastal bluffs. Transport corridors are well-defined by the Pacific Electric and Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroads, which parallel the coast and cut inland across Ballona Creek. From the canals of Venice to the growing neighborhoods of Manhattan Beach, the map captures the rapid suburbanization of the South Bay and the Westside.