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1901 Map of Big Trees

Name: 1901 Topographic Map of Big Trees
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1909
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1909

About this map

Calaveras Grove and the Calaveras Big Trees South Grove anchor this turn-of-the-century topographic study, showcasing the high-elevation forests and gold-country drainages of the Sierra Nevada. The landscape is defined by the deep canyons of the North Fork Mokelumne River and its sister forks, where early settlement was driven by mining and timber. Dozens of small camps and family-named homesteads like Sprague, Greve, and Dunbar appear alongside industrial outposts such as Riverside Mine and Beltz Mine.

River crossings were vital for commerce in this era, recorded here as Bakers Crossing on the Stanislaus River and the Abbott Ferry and Parrott Ferry downstream. Small communities like Sheep Ranch and Vallecito serve as hubs for the surrounding hills, while unique landmarks such as the Natural Bridge and high peaks like Mount Elizabeth and Blue Mountain illustrate the complex verticality of the terrain before modern development altered these routes.