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1951 Map of Ventura

Name: 1951 Topographic Map of Ventura
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1955
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1955

About this map

The city of Ventura (San Buenaventura) occupies the narrow coastal terrace between the Pacific Ocean and the steep slopes of Santa Ana Mountain. In the early 1950s, the urban core is concentrated along Main St and Poli St, while the Ventura River valley to the north remains a corridor of industrial and institutional development. Extensive oil fields with numerous Oil Wells and sumps dominate the hills of Cañada de San Miguelito, illustrating the era's heavy reliance on petroleum extraction.

Along the coast, the Southern Pacific railroad parallels the shore, passing landmarks like the County Fairgrounds and Babe Ruth Field. Educational and civic life is anchored by the Ventura Jr College and the Ventura School for Girls. The map also reveals the historical land divisions of the Ex Mission San Buenaventura and the San Miguel (Olivas and Lorenzana) grants, which shaped the region's settlement pattern long after the mission era.