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1943 Map of Isabella

Name: 1943 Topographic Map of Isabella
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1966
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1966

About this map

The Kern River and its South Fork Kern River converge in a high desert valley dominated by the emerging Isabella Reservoir. This mid-century survey illustrates the landscape just as the water was beginning to fill the basin, a transformation that would eventually submerge portions of the original Isabella townsite. Settlement is concentrated along the river corridors, with the established community of Kernville to the north and Weldon in the South Fork Valley.

Industry and local life are etched into the terrain of the Greenhorn Mountains and Piute Mountains, where the Big Blue Mine and Lone Star Mine indicate the region's mineral interests. Public life is anchored by landmarks like the South Fork Sch and the Kern County Airport, while the valley's thermal activity is marked at Scovern Hot Springs. A dash-lined blue boundary indicates the approximate area intended for inundation by the reservoir, capturing a pivotal moment of geographic change for Kern County.