1909 Map of Big Bar

About this map

South Fork Trinity River winds through this 1909 survey, carving a complex drainage system through the Northern California wilderness. The terrain is defined by prominent elevations such as Thompson Peak and Ironsides Mtn, while Hayfork Creek serves as a major tributary in the southern reaches. The landscape shows a region before modern infrastructure, where landmarks like the Natural Bridge and Keystone Meadows provided the primary navigational reference points for early travelers and surveyors. This map was surveyed shortly after the turn of the century by J.P. Harrison, documenting the drainage patterns and peaks such as Banker Mtn that shaped the movement of early settlers and miners through Trinity County. The intricate contour work illustrates the sheer verticality of the peaks and the deep incisions of the river forks that isolated this territory for generations.