California Maps

The Golden State of California officially became a part of the United States in 1850. By then, the California Gold Rush was well underway, and people were flocking to the state in a quest to find riches.

In our historic map archives, we have dozens of old California maps featuring every county in the state, including Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Santa Clara, Alameda, Sacramento, Contra Costa, and Fresno. Our most commonly requested maps are for Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco, Fresno, Sacramento, Long Beach, Oakland, Bakersfield, and Anaheim.

If you are looking for a map for a specific California town and don’t see it on this page, contact us, and we will check our archives.

With over 39.5 million residents, California is the most populous state. And it’s also the third-largest U.S. state behind Alaska and Texas. The state’s name derives from the Spanish Las Californias, which originally referred to a region encompassing the peninsula of Baja California to Alta California. The name is believed to have come from a 16th-century Spanish romance novel.

California’s geography includes 840 miles of coastline, the majestic Sierra Nevada mountain range, incredible redwood forests, rich agricultural valleys, and expansive desert regions such as Death Valley (one of the hottest places on Earth). California's climate ranges from blistering hot summers to freezing temperatures that produce snow in the higher elevations.

In the spring and summer months, fields of bright orange California poppies (the official state flower) bloom throughout much of the state. Every year, the explosion of color along California’s byways attracts the attention of both locals and visitors alike.

The state’s economy is a diverse mix of major industries such as finance, government, real estate, technology, science, and agriculture. California’s ports and harbors are also big business in California because they handle about a third of all U.S. imports. And did you know that more than 17 million gallons of wine are produced each year in California, famous for being home to Napa Valley?

Of course, California is also home to the show business capital of the world, Hollywood. Major motion-picture companies first began setting up production in Hollywood in the early 1900s.

In 1923, the famous Hollywood sign was erected, although it originally read 'HOLLYWOODLAND' and was a temporary advertisement for a housing development. Of course, the sign ended up staying and becoming an icon, minus the 'LAND' part.

By the 1930s, Hollywood studios were producing around 600 films each year. Fast forward to today, and Hollywood is synonymous with glitz, glamour, and celebrity. Here’s a fun fact - did you know that actress Joanne Woodward was the first to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame? She received her star in 1960.

Finally, if you’re hoping to win the lottery someday and bask in riches, you might think about taking a trip to Baker, California, and stopping by a little place called Country Store. The popular pit stop on the way to and from Las Vegas has a reputation for selling a lot of winning lottery tickets. While you’re there, you can also visit the World’s Largest Thermometer, which is just down the road.