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1961 Map of Mindego Hill

Name: 1961 Topographic Map of Mindego Hill
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1964
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1964

About this map

The San Andreas Fault Zone defines the structural orientation of this Santa Cruz Mountains landscape, carving a deep northwest-southeast trench that separates the ridge systems. High peaks like Mindego Hill and Black Mountain overlook a complex network of private ranches and institutional lands, including the San Francisco Log Cabin Boys School and the Mt Helen Childrens Home. The presence of several named holdings such as Pony Tracks Ranch, Skyline Ranch, and Horseshoe Ranch illustrates the transition of these uplands from traditional agricultural use toward recreational and residential estates.

Infrastructure in the early 1960s appears centered around arterial routes like Skyline Blvd and Alpine Road. Cultural landmarks such as the Page Mill (Site) and the development of Foothill College near Los Altos Hills mark the evolution of the Peninsula foothills. Further south, the map details the heavily wooded canyons of Portola State Park and the Saratoga Summit Ranger Station, where the terrain drops steeply toward the headwaters of Pescadero Creek.