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1955 Map of Forks of Salmon

Name: 1955 Topographic Map of Forks of Salmon
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1957
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1957

About this map

The Salmon River carves a deep path through the Klamath National Forest and Six Rivers National Forest in this mid-century survey, defining a landscape shaped by river-based mining and remote outposts. The confluence at Forks of Salmon serves as a central hub, while the river banks are dotted with legacy placer mining sites and riverside settlements like Somes Bar and Butler Flat. Numerous bars along the water, such as Murderers Bar, Three-dollar Bar, and Fong Wah Bar, suggest the area's intense history of gold prospecting and human activity in the drainage basins.

Upland terrain transitions from the Salmon River Mountains toward the Marble Mountains Wilderness Area, punctuated by high-altitude lookouts and mines. Research into local genealogy and land use is supported by the inclusion of the Irving Creek Sch and Junction School, alongside industrial landmarks like the Morehouse Mine, Sauerkraut Mine, and Crapo Mine. The map also preserves the positions of administrative stations like the Oak Bottom Guard Sta, reflecting the mid-1950s infrastructure of these mountain forests.