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1901 Map of Big Trees

Name: 1901 Topographic Map of Big Trees
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1914
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1914

About this map

The Mokelumne River and its various forks carve through this section of the Sierra Nevada, defining a landscape of deep canyons and timber-rich ridges at the turn of the century. This survey documents the region's transition from the gold-rush era to an economy centered on lumber and early tourism, particularly around the Calaveras Big Trees. The map captures several iconic mining-era settlements including Columbia, Murphy, and Vallecito, which served as hubs for the surrounding claims and camps.

Along the southern edge, the influence of water and transport is evident at Parrott Ferry and Abbott Ferry on the river crossings. Inland, smaller camps and mines like the Riverside Mine and Keltz Mine appear alongside established ranching and logging sites such as Swiss Ranch and Italian Ranch. This documentation is essential for tracing the footpaths and early wagon roads that connected these high-country outposts before modern highway development.