Loading map...

1892 Map of Modoc Lava Bed

Name: 1892 Topographic Map of Modoc Lava Bed
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1931
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1931

About this map

Lava Bed volcanic formations dominate this 1880s-era reconnaissance, capturing a rugged expanse where water and geology define the limits of human settlement. The map documents the complex shoreline of Tule Lake and Lower Klamath Lake before massive irrigation projects fundamentally altered these basins. Notable historic sites such as the Modoc Rifle Pit provide a tangible link to the regional conflicts of the previous decade.

Remote outposts and early ranching centers like Bieber, Lookout, and Burgettville are situated along the Pit River and its tributaries, while the interior is marked by dramatic peaks including Mt Hoffmann and Glass Mt. Natural curiosities such as the Ice Cave and various Hot Springs illustrate the geothermal activity that shaped the Siskiyou and Modoc borderlands. This survey preserves the original names of valleys like Widow Valley and Stone Coal Valley during the first generation of permanent mapping in the California-Oregon high country.