1948 Map of Big Bend Mtn

About this map

The North Fork Feather River and its major tributaries define this rugged portion of northern California, captured just before the landscape was fundamentally altered by modern dam construction. At this mid-century moment, historic mining settlements like Forbestown and Old Forbestown remain central to the region's character, connected by primitive mountain roads and the Western Pacific Railroad which winds through the canyons. The map documents an economy rooted in extraction and timber, evidenced by the Gold Bank Mine and Midas Mine, alongside scattered homesteads such as Rose Ranch and Hinton Ranch. Of particular note for local historians is the Indian Cemetery located near the Middle Fork Feather River and the site of Bidwell Bar, a famous gold-rush era river crossing. The elevation changes are dramatic, rising from the river canyons to landmarks like Stringtown Mtn and the sheer drop of Feather Falls.