1953 Map of Wasco NW

About this map

Outdoor sporting culture and water management define this portion of the San Joaquin Valley, where numerous private hunting grounds are situated among an grid of agricultural infrastructure. The landscape is characterized by its reliance on irrigation, visible through the Alpaugh Irrigation District Canal and an extensive network of Well sites and reservoirs. A remarkable concentration of sporting clubs, including the Lurline Gun Club, 20th Century Fish & Gun Club, and Pasuza Gun Club, indicates the historical importance of waterfowl hunting in this region, particularly near the banks of Poso Creek. The settlement of Lurline Wells and the Smyrna Substation serve as local landmarks within a surveyed grid of rural roads like Pond Road and Elmo Highway. This map, based on 1950s field checks with 1969 revisions, documents the industrialization of water usage in Kern County's alluvial plains.