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1950 Map of French Corral

Name: 1950 Topographic Map of French Corral
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1950
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1950

About this map

San Juan Ridge dominates this Sierra Nevada foothills landscape, where Gold Rush history intersects with mid-century hydroelectric development. The Yuba River and its branches carve deep through the terrain, featuring the then-active Colgate Powerhouse and the waters of Englebright Reservoir. Cultural history is anchored by the settlement at French Corral and nearby Birchville, while the presence of the San Juan Mine (Inactive) points to the area's extraction roots.

The map reveals a network of water management, from the Browns Valley Ditch to Lake Francis, supporting a series of family-named agricultural and residential sites. Locations such as the Rice Crossing (Site), Richards Ranch, and Schwartz Ranch provide clear markers for genealogists tracing 20th-century land use in the Yuba and Nevada County borderlands. Education and community life are represented by the Pleasant Valley Sch in the southern Pleasant Valley reach.