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1921 Map of Cape San Martin

Name: 1921 Topographic Map of Cape San Martin
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1921
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1921

About this map

Mining operations and family ranching dominate the slopes of the Los Burros Range on this coastline surveyed during the 1910s. The remote Big Sur interior, largely encompassed by the Santa Barbara National Forest, shows a distinct pattern of small-scale resource extraction and isolated homesteads. Industrial activity is centered around the Los Burros Mine, Melville Mine, and Buglimo Mine, while the southern reaches of the map include the W.R. Hearst Foremans Headquarters near the San Luis Obispo County line.

Coastal life is centered around Gorda, supported by the Gorda School and connections to the Coast Trail. The presence of several cattle-related sites, such as Evans Bros Cow Camp and Ray Evans Ranch, indicates the livestock-driven economy of the era before modern road access. From the heights of Chalk Peak to the crashing surf at Cape San Martin, the map documents a rugged landscape of steep canyons like Devils Canyon and high points including San Martin Top and Silver Peak.