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1972 Map of Lake Isabella North

Name: 1972 Topographic Map of Lake Isabella North
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1976
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1976

About this map

Isabella Lake South Fork and the Kern River meet at the massive infrastructure of the Isabella Main Dam and Isabella Auxiliary Dam. This early 1970s topographic record shows the transformation of the upper Kern Valley into a major recreational and water management hub. The settlements of Wofford Heights and Lake Isabella are shown in detail, including the Kern River Valley Cem and the Kern Valley Airport.

Legacy mining operations such as the Big Blue Mine and Regan Mine stand near newer residential developments like Squirrel Mountain Valley and Mountain Mesa. The map captures the interface between the Sequoia National Forest and the developed shoreline, which features numerous recreation spots including Tillie Creek Campground and several boat ramps. This period represents the valley as it transitioned from its hard-rock mining roots toward a permanent residential and tourism-based economy.