1951 Map of Independence

About this map

The Owens River and the massive Los Angeles Aqueduct define the industrial and agricultural character of this Owens Valley landscape during the early 1950s. While the valley floor is marked by the Southern Pacific rail line and local landmarks like the Mt Whitney Fish Hatchery and the Port Independence Indian Reservation, the eastern slopes of the Inyo Mountains reveal a rugged mining history. Numerous operations, including the Green Monster Mine, Blue Bell Mine, and the Alhambra Mine, are scattered across the high terrain, connected by precarious routes such as the Keyes Trail. This era also shows evidence of changing water management, with the Stevens Canal (Abandoned) and Eclipse Ditch (Aban'd) indicating the shifting irrigation and transport patterns that reshaped Inyo County.