1958 Map of Alturas

About this map

Alturas serves as the regional hub for this 1958 survey of the California-Oregon borderlands, where the High Desert meets the southern Cascades. The landscape is defined by its massive water bodies and volcanic terrain, from the sprawling Goose Lake on the eastern edge to the volcanic fissures of Lava Beds National Monument in the west. Agriculture and water management are evident in the reclaimed lands of the Tulelake National Wildlife Refuge and the extensive Clear Lake Reservoir system. The map documents the mid-century infrastructure of northeastern California, showing the Southern Pacific and Great Northern rail lines connecting timber and ranching outposts like Tionesta, Likely, and Bieber. These routes, alongside the Pit River, provided the lifelines for isolated settlements across the Warner Mountains and into the Surprise Valley, where towns like Cedarville and Eagleville sit at the base of the steep western escarpment.