1955 Map of Mindego Hill

About this map

The Santa Cruz Mountains define this mid-century landscape where ranching life and early conservation efforts met along the divide of San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. In the mid-1950s, the terrain was characterized by family-named holdings such as Skyline Ranch and Big Dipper Ranch, while education was already shifting as evidenced by the Purisima School (Aban'd) and Alpine School (Aban'd). The southern portion of the map centers on the protected lands of Portola State Park, where Peters Creek and Pescadero Creek flow through the redwoods. Evidence of earlier industry is found at the Page Mill (Site), marking the historic lumbering routes that once traversed these ridges. From the heights of Mindego Hill down to the remote Devils Canyon, the map traces a network of winding roads like Skyline Boulevard and Alpine Road that connected these upland communities.