1950 Map of Colfax

About this map

The Southern Pacific railroad corridor anchors this mid-century look at the Sierra Nevada foothills, tracing a path through Colfax and Dutch Flat during a period of industrial transition. The landscape is heavily marked by the legacy of hydraulic and hard-rock mining, with numerous diggings such as the Blue Devil Diggings and Christmas Hill Diggings scattered along the ridges. The map captures critical historic locations, including the Illinoistown (Site) and Secret Town (Site), providing evidence of earlier Gold Rush settlements that had evolved or diminished by the 1940s. The deep canyons of the North Fork American River and the Middle Fork American River dominate the topography, while the Tahoe National Forest encompasses the eastern reaches. Local infrastructure, from the Dutch Flat Powerhouse to the Lava Cap Lookout, illustrates the region's mid-century management of water, power, and timber resources.