1947 Map of Lucerne Valley

About this map

Big Bear Lake and the high country of the San Bernardino National Forest dominate the southern half of this landscape, transitioning sharply into the Mojave Desert to the north. Surveyed in the late 1940s, the map documents a region defined by its extractive history and early mountain tourism. The area around Holcomb Valley and Gold Mtn is peppered with evidence of the nineteenth-century gold rush, including the Doble Mine (Aband) and the settlement of Doble near Baldwin Lake. To the north, the arid expanse around Lucerne Dry Lake shows a sparser settlement pattern centered on the Lucerne Valley post office and rural landmarks like the Midway Sch and Box S Ranch. The contrast between the timbered slopes around Fawnskin and the stark northern buttes, such as Negro Butte, illustrates the dramatic topographical shift from the San Bernardino Mountains to the desert floor.