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1949 Map of Lake Combie

Name: 1949 Topographic Map of Lake Combie
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1960
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1960

About this map

The Bear River serves as the dividing line between Nevada Co and Placer Co in this late 1940s landscape, centered on the newly established Lake Combie. The map illustrates a transitional era for the region, where older industrial features like the Stockton Hill Mine, Dew Drop, and various ditches for water transport coexist with emerging residential pockets. Settlement patterns are visible at Higgins Corner, Meadow Vista, and the hillsides near Cottage Hill.

Notably, the survey documents the Probable Route of Donner Party winding through the western hills, grounding the map in California's pioneer history. Local infrastructure is well-defined, including the State Forestry Guard Sta, the Limekiln Sch, and crossings such as Dog Bar Bridge and Gaultier Bridge. The network of water management features, from the Tarr Tunnel to the Van Giesen Dam, highlights the area's continued reliance on organized irrigation and power infrastructure.