1904 Map of Kaweah

About this map

Sequoia National Park dominates the high country of this 1904 survey, preserving a landscape where early industry and recreation intersected. The map highlights the rugged timber and milling history of the region through markers like Atwells Mill on the East Fork Kaweah River and Dillon Mill to the south. Along the lower elevations, the settlement of Three Rivers sits at the confluence of the forks, while the presence of Daunt P.O. and Springville indicates the established ranching and agricultural communities of the valley floor. Water management is a central theme, evidenced by an intricate network of irrigation channels including the Whitney Ditch, Pioneer Ditch, and Plano Ditch, which redirected the flow of the Kaweah River and its tributaries to support the growing Yokohl Valley and Frazier Valley. This early twentieth-century snapshot documents the transition from raw wilderness and industrial extraction to the managed landscapes of the National Park and Tule River Indian Reservation.