Carbon Canyon and Vicinity From a 1917 Map

Here is a great detail from a 1917 roadmap showing the area in around the Orange County portion of Carbon Canyon, meaning the map did not include beyond what you see here. Note how differently the roads were than today, ninety years later, in terms of extent and naming.

For example, Valencia Avenue was then named Olinda Boulevard and the road curved into Carbon Canyon Road at the Olinda oil field. At the curve, there is a gray line moving to the west--this would demarcate a private road through the oil fields that later became Lambert Road.

Connecting to Valencia Avenue south of the curve is Brea-Olinda Boulevard, now Birch Street. Imperial Highway did not exist, but part of the future highway was Elm Street. West of Olinda Boulevard is Carolina Street, this is now the extension of Kraemer Avenue, part of which is at the bottom just next to Bradford Street in Placentia.

On the outskirts of the map are some other interesting aspects. Yorba Linda Boulevard ended at Valencia Drive. At the far left is Pomona Boulevard, now Brea Boulevard, which changed names to Anaheim-Pomona Road (formerly Anaheim-Spadra Road) when drivers reached Brea Canyon. You can also see the last two letters of Central Avenue at the upper left.

There are also a couple of rail lines worth pointing out. "P.E.R.R." refers to the Pacific Electric Railway streetcar line, the right-of-way of which still exists. Coming from Yorba Linda it is a bike and horse path that terminates right near Valencia Avenue and Bastanchury Road. The right-of-way, however, can be traced off Kraemer Avenue as it cuts through the Birch Hills Golf Course and then crosses Birch Street, under the 57 Freeway and then further west past State College Boulevard.

"A.T.S.F." refers to the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad, otherwise known as the Santa Fe. This line was a spur off the main railroad line which still runs along Orangethorpe Avenue and was built specifically to haul oil from the Santa Fe lease at the Olinda oil field. There is a little more information about this spur line that I'll try to remember and post someday.

Notably absent here is any reference to La Vida Mineral Springs, which is simply because the resort didn't exist in 1917!

Look soon for an entry relating to a map from a decade later when significant changes were to be found.