1913 Map of Bishop

About this map

Owens River serves as the central artery of this Owens Valley landscape, flanked by the steep ascent of the White Mountains and the Sierra Nevada peaks. In the early twentieth century, this region was a hub of transit and extraction, dominated by the Southern Pacific Railroad and its Keeler Branch which linked the agricultural valley to distant markets. The settlement of Bishop anchors the irrigation-fed flats, surrounded by a dense network of local landmarks including Sunland School and Riverside School. Beyond the valley floor, the map documents a robust mining economy with the Southern Belle Mine, Poleta Mine, and Montezuma Mine tucked into the high canyons. The presence of the Indian Reservation and vast tracts of the Inyo National Forest illustrate the transition from early ranching at Roberts Ranch to formal federal land management during this era.