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1924 Map of Watts

Name: 1924 Topographic Map of Watts
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1930
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1930

About this map

Industrial expansion and transit corridors define this 1920s landscape as Los Angeles pushes southward through the San Antonio and San Pedro districts. The prominent footprint of the Goodyear Rubber Co near Florence signals the era’s manufacturing boom, while the dense network of the Pacific Electric and Southern Pacific railroads underscores the importance of rail transit before the dominance of the freeway system.

Smaller residential pockets and rural holdouts like Athens and Fruitland appear alongside emerging municipalities such as Watts, South Gate, and Lynwood. Local education is anchored by the Russell School, Willowbrook School, and Belle Vernon School, providing key landmarks for genealogists tracking early twentieth-century family locations. The presence of Leake Lake offers a rare look at the area's hydrology prior to extensive modern paving and drainage modifications.