Loading map...

1958 Map of Chico

Name: 1958 Topographic Map of Chico
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1962
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1962

About this map

Beale Air Force Base stands as a significant military footprint in the lower Sacramento River valley during the late 1950s, a period when the region's agricultural roots met the growing needs of the Cold War era. The map details the complex water systems of the Sierra Nevada, tracing the intricate forks of the Feather River and the early development of reservoirs like Lake Almanor and Bucks Lake.

Settlements like Chico, Oroville, and Yuba City serve as hubs for a transport network anchored by the Southern Pacific RR and Western Pacific RR. In the valley floor, the dramatic rise of the Sutter Buttes provides a stark contrast to the surrounding flatlands. To the east, the high country transitions into the deep forests of the Plumas National Forest and Tahoe National Forest, eventually reaching the shores of Lake Tahoe. This survey documents a landscape of transition, from the academic setting of Chico State College to the timber and hydroelectric corridors of the mountain passes.