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1961 Map of Alturas

Name: 1961 Topographic Map of Alturas
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1963
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1963

About this map

The high-desert seat of Modoc County, Alturas, serves as the primary hub for this 1961 survey, where the North Fork Pit River and South Fork Pit River converge. The town's infrastructure at this time is clearly defined, featuring the Modoc Union High Sch, the Municipal Airport, and nearby McArthur Grain Elevators along the Southern Pacific railroad line. South of the main settlement, the Modoc National Wildlife Refuge stretches along the river basin, providing a distinct contrast to the surrounding high plains and ridges.

Evidence of the region's historical conflicts is marked at the Infernal Caverns Battlefield Memorial Marker near Infernal Caverns in the south. The landscape is dotted with critical water management features essential for ranching and agriculture, including the Graven Reservoir and Bayley Reservoir, alongside numerous isolated water sources like Arnett Spring and Wade Williams Spring. These features, along with the Delmorma Sch, illustrate a dispersed rural community organized around seasonal water and the rail corridor.