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1961 Map of Cholame Valley

Name: 1961 Topographic Map of Cholame Valley
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1993
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1993

About this map

The San Andreas Rift Zone dominates the structural landscape of this California interior, carving a distinct linear path through the Cholame Valley. This 1961 edition, updated with revisions from the late 1980s, illustrates a ranching and grazing environment where water sources are vital. Scattered springs and named wells like Hancock Well dot the hills, supporting the operations at Jack Ranch.

The terrain is defined by rugged canyons and broad uplands, including California Flats and Stone Corral Flats. Evidence of infrastructure is visible in the Cholame Valley Road and a major pipeline cutting across the valley floor. Seasonal water features like Kerr Lake and Cholame Creek underscore the arid character of the border between Monterey and San Luis Obispo counties, where the geological boundary between the Pacific and North American plates is the most prominent feature on the land.