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1895 Map of Chico

Name: 1895 Topographic Map of Chico
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1920
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1920

About this map

The Sacramento River defines the western edge of this territory, where numerous landings like Chico Landing and Dayton Landing facilitated trade before the expansion of the Southern Pacific and San Francisco and Portland Line railroads. The town of Chico sits as a central hub, while the terrain dramatically rises to the east into the Plumas National Forest. This transition from the flat agricultural valley to the timber-rich foothills is marked by a concentration of early industrial activity, including Keefers Old Mill and Hupps Mill.

Resource extraction and early settlements are scattered through the rugged canyons of Butte Creek and the Feather River. Gold country history is evident in labels for Cherokee, Yankee Hill, and the Lucretia Mine, while the distinctive topography of Table Mountain looms over Oroville at the southern edge. The map also traces historical travel routes such as the Humboldt Road and the L.S. Trail, which connected these mountain outposts to the valley floor.