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1913 Map of Bishop

Name: 1913 Topographic Map of Bishop
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1937
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1937

About this map

Owens River valley settlements and high-altitude mining operations define this pre-World War I survey of the Eastern Sierra. The agricultural and transport hub of Bishop serves as the central focal point, surrounded by a dense network of early rural education sites like Riverside School, Sunland School, and Fish Springs School. The industrial infrastructure of the era is clearly marked by the Southern Pacific (Keeler Branch) railroad, which tracks along the valley floor to support local commerce and extractive industries such as the Poleta Mine and Southern Belle Mine.

High mountain terrain dominates the eastern and western flanks, including the White Mountains and the peaks of the Sierra National Forest. The map documents a transition in land use, showing the Indian Volcanic Reservation to the north and the isolated Deep Spring Lake in Deep Spring Valley. Water management is evident through various creeks and the early Power Station on Bishop Creek, illustrating how the region's natural resources were being harnessed for the growing towns of Big Pine and Laws.