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1955 Map of Emigrant Gap

Name: 1955 Topographic Map of Emigrant Gap
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1965
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1965

About this map

Southern Pacific rail lines and high-altitude mining operations define this mid-century look at the Sierra Nevada crest. The map documents a landscape transitioning from its 19th-century gold rush roots to a modern hydroelectric and transportation corridor. Former mining hubs like Graniteville and Omega appear alongside former community locations at Summit City and Baltimore Town. The industrial legacy is visible in the dense concentration of workings such as the Yellow Metal Mine, Nixon Mine, and Alpha Mine, as well as the hydraulic infrastructure of the Zion Hill Tunnel and Drum Forebay.

Water management is central to the area's character, with Bowman Lake and Lake Spaulding serving as major reservoirs. High-country recreation and early aviation markers are also present, including the Marin-Sierra Boy Scout Camp and an Emergency Landing Field near Emigrant Gap. This era shows the region just as transcontinental travel began to shift towards the interstate system, while maintaining the rugged infrastructure of the Southern Pacific railroad.