1949 Map of Greenwood

About this map

Spanish Dry Diggings and the community of Greenwood anchor this 1949 topographic survey of the Sierra Nevada foothills, revealing a landscape defined by gold-rush history and rugged river canyons. The Middle Fork American River and North Fork American River cut through the terrain, lined with historical bars such as Maine Bar, Buckeye Bar, and Texas Bar that recall the era of placer mining. Inland, the map documents the shift toward hard-rock operations with several named prospects including the Shenanigan Mine, Grit Mine, and Maltby Mine. This document captures the region's complex water infrastructure, tracing a system of ditches, a Siphon, and a Flume designed to move water across the Georgetown Divide. Along the northwestern edge, the Southern Pacific railroad passes through Applegate, while family names persist at landmarks like Drivers Flat, Butcher Ranch, and the Penobscot Farm.