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1951 Map of Chicago Park

Name: 1951 Topographic Map of Chicago Park
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1951
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1951

About this map

Chicago Park and the surrounding Sierra Nevada foothills appear here during a period of transition in the early 1950s. The landscape is heavily marked by gold-era industry, featuring numerous Placer Diggings and significant mining operations like the Lava Cap Mine and the Banner Mine. The map reveals the historical corridor of the Probable Route of the Donner Trail, which winds through the center of the sheet near Sontag Hill. Settlement patterns include established communities such as Peardale and Bear River Pines, alongside more isolated outposts like Hilltop Ranch and Head Ranch.

Transportation networks show both growth and obsolescence, evidenced by a Dismantled RR branching off the Southern Pacific line. Significant water engineering is visible through the Boardman Canal and Siphon systems, which traverse the ridge-and-canyon topography between the Bear River and Greenhorn Creek. The map also captures several family-named landmarks and smaller settlements like Red Dog, You Bet, and Secret Town, providing a clear record of the region's human geography before modern development.