1930 Map of Black Butte

About this map

Hibbard Ranch and Morrison Ranch anchor the northern reaches of this 1930 survey, illustrating the isolated ranching life that once characterized this portion of the Antelope Valley. The landscape is dominated by the prominent volcanic rise of Black Butte and the distinctive outcroppings of the Three Sisters to the east. These geological features served as essential landmarks for travelers navigating the early desert thoroughfares, such as the Palmdale-Victorville Road and Black Butte Road. This advance sheet, produced under the direction of county surveyor J. E. Rockhold and the Board of Supervisors, reveals the transition from open grazing land to a more structured grid. Small family holdings like Vanderburg Ranch and Brase Ranch are situated near the First Standard Parallel North, marking the early 20th-century homesteading efforts in this arid Los Angeles County landscape before modern development arrived.