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1961 Map of Cholame

Name: 1961 Topographic Map of Cholame
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1962
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1962

About this map

Cholame and Shandon anchor this early 1960s study of the San Luis Obispo County interior, where the dry landscape is defined by its seasonal water sources and deep-cut canyons. The Cholame Creek valley serves as a primary corridor through the high ground, passing through a terrain marked by numerous named springs such as Bee Tree Spring, Rock Spring, and Elder Spring. These water points were critical for cattle ranching and early settlement in the rain shadow of the Temblor Range.

Evidence of local development and utility infrastructure appears in the form of a major Pipeline, a Substation, and a Gaging Sta. To the southwest, San Juan Creek flows past the Shandon Cemetery, while the northern reaches are dominated by the Cholame Hills and several significant drainages including White Canyon and McMillan Canyon. The map reveals a land utilized for more than just agriculture, with several well sites and a geophysical station marking the hillsides.