1897 Map of Mt. Hamilton

About this map

Lick Observatory stands as the primary landmark of this high-elevation terrain, perched atop the peaks of the Diablo Range at the close of the nineteenth century. The map illustrates a complex network of ridges including Valpe Ridge, Eylar Mountain, and Poverty Ridge, separated by deep drainage basins like Isabel Valley. The presence of the Hotel and Mowry Camp suggests early tourism and seasonal activity centered around the scientific outpost and the surrounding mountain landscape. Lower elevations to the west transition into the Halls Valley and the Canada De Pala land grant areas, where names like Masters Hill and Panochita Hill mark the local topography. This document preserves the late-1800s character of the wilderness before the expansion of modern infrastructure into the mountains east of the Santa Clara Valley.