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1949 Map of Georgetown

Name: 1949 Topographic Map of Georgetown
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1949
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1949

About this map

The gold-bearing canyons of the Middle Fork American River and the South Fork American River define this post-war landscape in El Dorado County. This area is deeply tied to the origins of the California Gold Rush, anchored by the Sutters Mill Site and the Gold Discovery Site State Park near Coloma. The map reveals the intricate water systems required for hydraulic and lode mining, including the extensive Georgetown Ditch and numerous workings such as the Grit Mine, Shenandoah Mine, and Black Oak Mine.

Settlement patterns follow the high ridges and river bends, from the town of Georgetown to smaller locales like Volcanoville and Spanish Dry Diggings. Cultural landmarks like the James W. Marshall State Historical Monument and the Pilot Hill Grange reflect the transition from active mining to a more established rural society. Infrastructure such as the American River Power House and various forest service outposts within the Eldorado National Forest illustrate the modernization of the Mother Lode region by the late 1940s.