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1909 Map of Kaweah

Name: 1909 Topographic Map of Kaweah
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1921
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1921

About this map

Sequoia National Park dominates the high-altitude landscape of this 1909 survey, revealing the rugged topography of the High Sierra before modern infrastructure reached deep into the backcountry. The map traces the four main branches of the Middle Fork Kaweah River and its sister forks as they descend from granite peaks like Sawtooth Peak and Florence Peak. To the east, the historic mining and resort settlement of Mineral King sits tucked between the Needham Mt and high glacial basins, while the lower elevations to the west show the early agricultural development around Springville and Success.

The presence of sites like Atwells Mill and Dillon Mill points to the early logging industry that preceded the full conservation efforts of the Sequoia National Forest. Notable for genealogists is the clear delineation of the Tule River Indian Reservation and vanished locales like Hammond and Milo. The detailed mapping of the Garfield Grove Big Trees and other sequoia stands highlights the emerging awareness of these ancient groves at the start of the twentieth century.