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1959 Map of Cannibal Island

Name: 1959 Topographic Map of Cannibal Island
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1964
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1964

About this map

Cannibal Island and the complex tidal landscape of the Eel River delta dominate this 1959 survey of the Humboldt County coastline. The terrain is a intricate network of waterways, including McNulty Slough, Sevenmile Slough, and Cannibal Slough, separated by low-lying tracts like Mosley Flat. To the north, the elevation rises sharply at Table Bluff, where the Table Bluff Lighthouse Coast Guard Reservation stands as a primary navigational landmark overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

Human settlement and infrastructure are strategically placed away from the flood-prone flats, with the Table Bluff Rancheria and Ocean Ranch situated on higher ground. The map details the early efforts to manage this water-dominated environment through a series of levees protecting land near the Eel River School. Transportation is limited to coastal routes like South Jetty Road along the South Spit, providing a window into the remote, maritime character of northern California before modern development.