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1948 Map of Big Bend Mtn

Name: 1948 Topographic Map of Big Bend Mtn
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1961
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1961

About this map

The rugged Sierra Nevada foothills of Butte County are defined by the deep canyons of the Feather River forks. At this post-war moment, the Western Pacific Railroad snakes along the North Fork Feather River, serving small settlements like Las Plumas and the Berry Creek Station. The landscape is a mix of active mining operations and established ranches, with names like Bunker Hill Mine and Surcease Mine appearing alongside the Jamison Ranch and Hinton Ranch.

Evidence of the region's hydraulic and hard-rock gold mining legacy is scattered throughout, from the historic Bidwell Bar to the numerous gravel bars like Enterprise Bar and Kanaka Bar along the river banks. Mountain communities such as Forbestown and Old Forbestown anchor the southern ridges, while the vast Lassen National Forest and Plumas National Forest boundaries underscore the area's timber and conservation significance. Local infrastructure is marked by rural outposts like the Berry Creek School and the remote Mountain House.