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1955 Map of Donner Pass

Name: 1955 Topographic Map of Donner Pass
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1971
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1971

About this map

The Southern Pacific Railroad carves a critical path through the high Sierra Nevada, following the historic transcontinental corridor across Donner Pass. This mid-century survey captures the rugged alpine landscape where the rail line and the growing highway network supported seasonal recreation and essential transit between the Sacramento Valley and the Truckee basin. Clusters of development at Soda Springs, Norden, and Kingvale serve as focal points for the region's early winter sports and summer camping industries.

Evidence of the area's multifaceted history is visible in the placement of the Donner Trail Sch and the Donner Memorial State Park, which commemorate the difficult overland migrations of the previous century. The map also identifies industrial and logging remnants, such as the Old Stanford Wood Camp (Site) and the Anderson Mine. High-altitude water bodies including Webber Lake, Fordyce Lake, and Independence Lake are surrounded by the vast tracts of the Tahoe National Forest, while the north end of the sheet marks the old Henness Pass Road.