1978 Map of Woodward Island

About this map

Bacon Island and the surrounding reclaimed tracts define this portion of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta during the late 1970s. The landscape is a complex network of man-made waterways and levees, where the Old River and Middle River snake between vast agricultural tracts like the Holland Tract and Orwood Tract. This environment required specialized infrastructure for transport and resource management, evidenced by the Woodward Island Ferry and the massive Mokelumne Aqueduct traversing the low-lying terrain. Small rail-side settlements such as Bixler and Werner sit along the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe railroad line, which cuts a straight path across the wetlands. The map also documents institutional and social landmarks, including the Rindge Sch on Woodward Island and the Contra Costa Co Boys Ranch, illustrating how even the most fluid delta landscapes were thoroughly organized for industry and habitation.