1926 Map of Gorda

About this map

The sheer, unpopulated coastline of southern Humboldt County dominates this tactical survey, defined by the steep elevation change where the King Range meets the sea. Coastal landmarks such as Gorda Rock and Reynolds Rock provide navigational reference points along a shoreline nearly devoid of modern infrastructure. The presence of Spanish Flat and the small drainages of Gorda Cr and Spanish Cr highlight the isolation of this terrain before modern coastal road development. Surveyed under the direction of Col. Thos. H. Jackson, the map emphasizes the extreme topography, including the summit of Gorda 2365, which rises abruptly from the Pacific. This sheet illustrates the primitive state of the northern California coast during the mid-1920s, showing a landscape shaped by drainage patterns and rocky outcrops rather than human settlement.