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1951 Map of Laytonville

Name: 1951 Topographic Map of Laytonville
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1956
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1956

About this map

Laytonville serves as the primary hub of this Mendocino County landscape, situated where the Redwood Highway threads through a narrow valley. To the east, the rugged terrain of the Northern Coast Ranges is defined by the deep canyons of the Eel River and its Middle Fork. The Northwestern Pacific RR follows the steep riverbanks, connecting isolated sidings and settlements like Dos Rios and Tatu.

Cultural landmarks and small agrarian settlements are scattered throughout the hills, including the Laytonville Rancheria and Sherwood Rancheria. The map documents a rural economy still reliant on isolated outposts and topographic navigation, featuring family-named locations such as Deer Lodge and water bodies like Grassy Lake. This survey captures the region before modern development, showing the complex relationship between the winding Long Valley Creek and the early automotive and rail infrastructure that bypassed the steepest ridges like Holmes Ridge and Shimmin Ridge.