1880s Maps of California

Explore 16 historic maps of California from the 1880s. These maps offer a rare glimpse into what life looked like during the 1880s — showing old roads, neighborhoods, homes, and landmarks that have changed or disappeared over time.

Whether you're researching your family's past, planning a metal detecting trip, or studying how California's landscape evolved across the 1880s, these high-resolution maps are a powerful tool for exploring the history of this region.

  • Focus on a specific era: All maps on this page are from the 1880s, giving you a focused view of this time period.
  • See what’s changed: Compare century-old streets, trails, and buildings to today's modern landscape using overlays and satellite layers.
  • Research with precision: Use these maps for genealogy, historical research, land use analysis, or educational projects.
  • View, download, or print: Maps are fully viewable online in high resolution, and can be downloaded or printed for your own records.

Start exploring California's history through authentic maps from the 1880s. This is your window into the past.


California maps

(16)
  1. 1886 Map of Alturas
    1886 Map of Alturas
    1886 Alturas
    1886 Print · USGS
    Northeastern California at the close of the nineteenth century was a territory of high-desert basins and isolated outposts. Researchers can trace early township developments and strategic sites like Fort Bidwell, the remote Old Indian Villages, and the mining camp at Hayden Hill.

  2. 1886 Map of Honey Lake
    1886 Map of Honey Lake
    1886 Honey Lake
    1886 Print · USGS
    Lassen and Plumas counties were a frontier of ranching and early commerce in the late nineteenth century. Genealogists can locate family-named settlements like Stocktons and Taylorsville or trace the early water rights near Susanville and Honey Lake.

  3. 1886 Map of Lassen Peak
    1886 Map of Lassen Peak
    1886 Lassen Peak
    1886 Print · USGS
    The Cascades of the late nineteenth century appear here as a landscape of timber mills and volcanic peaks. Genealogists and historians can trace early mountain life at Shingletown, Prattville, and isolated industrial sites like Eureka Mill or the Caribou Bridge.

  4. 1886 Map of Camp Mohave
    1886 Map of Camp Mohave
    1886 Camp Mohave
    1886 Print · USGS
    The Colorado River and the Cerbat mining districts define this territory during the mid-1880s. Genealogists and historians can trace the early rail stops at Kingman and Beale, or find the locations of frontier mining camps like Chloride and Mineral Park.

  5. 1886 Map of Modoc Lava Bed
    1886 Map of Modoc Lava Bed
    1886 Modoc Lava Bed
    1886 Print · USGS
    Northeastern California is surveyed here in the years following the Modoc War, showing the volcanic terrain of the Modoc Lava Bed and early river settlements. Trace pioneer history through Modoc Rifle Pits, a Ferry on the Pit River, and old outposts like Bieber and Lookout.

  6. 1886 Map of Shasta
    1886 Map of Shasta
    1886 Shasta
    1886 Print · USGS
    Upper California in the mid-1880s is captured here during the height of the mining era and the early days of mountain tourism. Genealogists can locate family holdings near Yreka, trace river crossings like the ferry at Oaks Bar, or find early resorts at Upper Soda Spring.
    3 unique versions available

  7. 1886 Map of Granite Range
    1886 Map of Granite Range
    1886 Granite Range
    1886 Print · USGS
    Northwestern Nevada in the late nineteenth century was a frontier of great lakes and dry basins. Researchers can trace early geography from the Salt Works 3830 in the northern flats to water sources like Sheep-head Spring and Hot Springs.

  8. 1888 Map of Marysville
    1888 Map of Marysville
    1888 Marysville
    1888 Print · USGS
    The Sacramento Valley in the late nineteenth century was a landscape of fertile river bottoms and emerging rail towns. Researchers can trace the river economy through Moons Ferry and Eddys Ferry or locate early family holdings like Hock Farm and Butte House.

  9. 1888 Map of Smartsville
    1888 Map of Smartsville
    1888 Smartsville
    1888 Print · USGS
    Gold Country was in its industrial prime during the late eighteen-hundreds, with deep-shaft mines and hydraulic camps dotting the Sierra foothills. Researchers can trace early family holdings and mining claims through landmarks like French Corral, the North Star Mine, and the historic settlement of Timbuctoo.

  10. 1888 Map of Bidwell Bar, 1956 Print
    1888 Map of Bidwell Bar, 1956 Print
    1888 Bidwell Bar
    1956 Print · USGS
    The northern Sierra foothills and Feather River canyons come alive in the late nineteenth century before modern reservoirs altered the landscape. Genealogists and researchers can trace family-named sites like Fields Ranch, Spanish Ranch, and Snows Mine.

  11. 1889 Map of Klamath
    1889 Map of Klamath
    1889 Klamath
    1889 Print · USGS
    Southern Oregon in the late nineteenth century is a land of vast marshes and emerging frontier towns like Linkville. Historians can trace early government outposts at Ft. Klamath and Yainax Agency or locate family-named sites like Applegate Spr. and Olene.

  12. 1889 Map of Jackson
    1889 Map of Jackson
    1889 Jackson
    1889 Print · USGS
    The Mother Lode foothills thrive in the late nineteenth century as mining and rail expansion reshape the landscape between the San Joaquin Valley and the Sierra Nevada. Genealogists and historians can trace the early layout of Jackson, locate vanished sites like Lancha Plana, and follow the path of the San Joaquin and Sierra Nevada Railroad.

  13. 1889 Map of Long Valley
    1889 Map of Long Valley
    1889 Long Valley
    1889 Print · USGS
    Northwestern Nevada was a land of high desert springs and remote outposts in the late nineteenth century. Researchers can trace the legacy of early military presence at Camp McGarry or locate crucial water sources like Massacre Lakes and Soldier Meadows.

  14. 1889 Map of San Jose, 1939 Print
    1889 Map of San Jose, 1939 Print
    1889 San Jose
    1939 Print · USGS
    Santa Clara County during the late nineteenth century was a mosaic of historic ranchos and developing rail lines. Genealogists can trace family footprints through early settlements like Milpitas, Berryessa, and the grounds of the Santa Clara Co. Alms House.
    2 unique versions available

  15. 1889 Map of Pyramid Peak, 1954 Print
    1889 Map of Pyramid Peak, 1954 Print
    1889 Pyramid Peak
    1954 Print · USGS
    The high Sierra and Lake Tahoe shores appear here in the late nineteenth century, long before the arrival of modern highways. Researchers can locate early alpine outposts and family homesteads like Uncle Toms Cabin, Glen Alpine Springs, and Yanks.

  16. 1889 Map of Markleeville, 1954 Print
    1889 Map of Markleeville, 1954 Print
    1889 Markleeville
    1954 Print · USGS
    The high Sierra and Carson Valley come alive in the late nineteenth century, showing a network of stage stops and mountain camps. Researchers can trace early settlements and family landmarks such as Markleeville, Walleys Hot Springs, and Tim Smiths.

End of results
Showing maps 1-16 of 16

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