Loading map...

1955 Map of Lick Observatory

Name: 1955 Topographic Map of Lick Observatory
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1977
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1977

About this map

Lick Observatory (University of California) crowns the summit of Mt Hamilton, marking a significant scientific presence in the Diablo Range during the mid-1950s. The map details the complex terrain surrounding Copernicus Peak, where a Lookout Tower and various water tanks supported the remote scientific outpost. Below the peaks, the landscape is defined by deep valleys and historic land grant boundaries, including Pueblo Lands of San Jose and Los Huecos.

Tracing the path of Mt Hamilton Road reveals the winding ascent from Halls Valley past features like Masters Hill and Panochita Hill. In the lower elevations, evidence of earlier rural life persists at the Highland Sch (Abandoned) in San Felipe Valley. The intricate network of drainage, from Arroyo Aguague to Silver Creek, illustrates the watershed's character before the expansion of the nearby Santa Clara Valley.