Loading map...

1951 Map of Lake Pillsbury

Name: 1951 Topographic Map of Lake Pillsbury
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1978
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1978

About this map

Lake Pillsbury and the surrounding reaches of the Mendocino National Forest define this 1951 topographic survey. Created by Scott Dam, the reservoir sits at the center of a landscape shaped by early mountain industry and remote ranching. The map details the transition from water management at the Soda Creek Guard Sta to high-elevation points like Crockett Peak and Snow Mountain.

Tracing the waterways reveals a network of mills and homesteads, including Howard Mill and Prather Mill along the Rice Fork. The presence of Crabtree Hot Springs and several remote outposts like Snow Mtn House indicates the area's dual role as a timber resource and a destination for early backcountry recreation. This record preserves the location of family-named landmarks like Fuller Ranch and Smith Ranch before modern forest management changed the rural footprint.