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1949 Map of Columbia SE

Name: 1949 Topographic Map of Columbia SE
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1949
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1949

About this map

Gold mining history permeates the drainages of the South Fork Stanislaus River and Fivemile Creek in this late 1940s survey of Tuolumne County. The landscape is a complex network of steep ridges and gulches, dominated by the Stanislaus National Forest and dotted with numerous active or legacy mining sites including the Indian Girl Mine, Contention Mine, and Mountain Lily Mine. This period captures the transition of the region from its hard-rock mining roots toward new uses, seen in the presence of the Phoenix Powerhouse and the Old Oak Ranch.

Local infrastructure centers around small settlements and waypoints like Belleview and the American Camp Station. The map provides specific locations for social and industrial landmarks, such as the Belleview Sch and the Phoenix Reservoir. For genealogists and local historians, the inclusion of sites like French Camp (Site) and Italian Bar offers a precise look at the mid-century footprint of these Sierra Nevada foothills before further modernization changed the rural character of the terrain.