1913 Map of Bishop

About this map

Bishop and its surrounding valley floor are defined by an intricate network of irrigation and water management, visible through the North End Canal, Bishop Creek Canal, and Rawson Canal. This 1913 survey, updated in the late 1940s, illustrates the deep reliance on the Owens River and its tributaries flowing from the Sierra National Forest. The landscape is a study in early twentieth-century Owens Valley infrastructure, where the Southern Pacific (Keeler Branch) railroad connects agricultural hubs like Laws and Big Pine with the high-altitude mining operations in the White Mountains. Significant industrial sites such as the Poleta Mine and Montezuma Mine sit perched above the valley, while a dense concentration of rural education centers, including Sunland School and Riverside School, highlights the established community life in this high-desert corridor.