1955 Map of Lick Observatory

About this map

Mt Hamilton and the high ridges of the Diablo Range dominate this mid-century landscape, centered on the Lick Observatory. The summit area is a dense cluster of scientific infrastructure, including the 120 inch Telescope, Crossley Reflector, and the Photographic Telescope. Beyond the observatory grounds, the terrain drops into Halls Valley and the deep canyons of San Felipe Creek and Isabel Creek. Evidence of earlier rural life and resource management is found in the Highland Sch (Abandoned) and the Smith Creek Ranger Sta, while the western edge reaches into the Pueblo Lands of San Jose. The map details a network of rugged access points like Quimby Road and several unnamed jeep trails connecting remote peaks like Copernicus Peak and Mt Misery.