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1948 Map of Cypress Mountain

Name: 1948 Topographic Map of Cypress Mountain
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1952
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1952

About this map

Klau Mine and the Oceanic Mine anchor the northern reaches of this coastal range landscape, reflecting the mercury mining history of the late 1940s. The terrain is dominated by the steep slopes of the Santa Lucia Range, where Cypress Mountain and Black Mountain rise above a network of seasonal drainages. Cultural markers are concentrated along the winding paths of Santa Rosa Road and Cambria Road, which follow the natural contours of the Santa Rosa Creek valley.

Local education and land divisions are preserved here through the location of the Mammoth Rock Sch and large land grants indicated by the Santa Rosa Boundary and San Geronimo Boundary. This survey captures a post-war moment when these remote canyons were defined by ranching and small-scale mining operations, with water sources like Villa Creek and Steiner Creek providing the vital infrastructure for the area’s isolated homesteads and schools.