Loading map...

1956 Map of Mt. Carmel

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Mt. Carmel
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1974
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1974

About this map

San Francisquito and the El Potrero de San Carlos land grant area dominate this mid-century survey of the Santa Lucia Range. The landscape is defined by a dense network of canyons and high ridges, where narrow trails and jeep tracks provide the only access to interior landmarks like Vasquez Knob and Pinyon Peak, which served as a lookout station.

Settlement is sparse, centered on the San Carlos Ranch at San Francisquito Flat, while the higher elevations are preserved within the Los Padres National Forest. Further south, the map reveals isolated backcountry sites such as the White Rock Gun Club near White Rock Lake and remote outposts like Turner Creek Camp and Pine Creek Camp. This record details a transitional period when the interior was largely used for cattle ranching and seasonal recreation, with drainage patterns flowing through Palo Colorado Canyon and San Clemente Creek toward the Pacific.