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1948 Map of Big Bend Mtn

Name: 1948 Topographic Map of Big Bend Mtn
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1953
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1953

About this map

Lassen National Forest and Plumas National Forest converge in this 1940s study of the Feather River canyon. The landscape is defined by the three forks of the Feather River, where the Western Pacific RR follows the northern bend through Las Plumas. Evidence of the region’s hydraulic and hard-rock mining legacy is scattered across the ridges, from the Big Bend Mine to the Gold Bank Mine near Forbestown.

Settlement patterns follow the narrow river bars and high ridges, featuring family holdings like the Hinton Ranch and Andy Smith Ranch. Significant historic landmarks include the Indian Cemetery and the original Bidwell Bar site, an important river crossing before the valley was reshaped by later water projects. The presence of Ponderosa Way and the Berry Creek School illustrates the essential infrastructure supporting these upland communities during the post-war era.