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1947 Map of Lucerne Valley

Name: 1947 Topographic Map of Lucerne Valley
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1978
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1978

About this map

Gold mining history and alpine settlement patterns define this mid-century survey of the San Bernardino Mountains and the High Desert floor. The southern portion of the sheet is dominated by the San Bernardino National Forest, where established lakeside communities like Big Bear City and Fawnskin sit in contrast to the high-elevation mining districts. The legacy of the 19th-century gold rush is visible in the numerous workings scattered through Holcomb Valley and around Baldwin Lake, including the Rose Mine and several sites labeled as abandoned, such as the Doble Mine.

Transitioning north, the landscape drops into the arid expanse of Lucerne Valley, where the environment is shaped by dry lake beds and isolated springs. Landmark features like Rabbit Springs and Cushenbury Sprs provided essential water for early ranching operations like the Box S Ranch. The mapping of the San Bernardino Meridian and the isolated peaks of Pickaninny Buttes provides a clear view of the surveying framework that organized this region of San Bernardino County during its post-war development.