1947 Map of Mt. Hamilton

About this map

The Lick Observatory stands as the central landmark atop Mt Hamilton, reached by a winding road that climbs through the steep ridges of the Diablo Range. This 1947 edition, based on earlier Army Map Service work and 1938 aerial photography, details a landscape dominated by extensive private landholdings and rugged ranching terrain. The settlement pattern is defined by family-named estates such as Evergreen Ranch, Hendricks Ranch, and the Fisher Homestead, reflecting the area's agricultural heritage before modern expansion. Educational and civic life in these mountain valleys is represented by the Halls Valley Sch and the Smith Creek Ranger Sta. Significant relief features like Copernicus Pk and Eylar Mountain rise above deep drainages including Arroyo Hondo and Arroyo Valle, while the boundary between Alameda and Santa Clara Counties follows the high crests of the Burnt Hills and Mason Ridge.