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1967 Map of Mt. Hamilton

Name: 1967 Topographic Map of Mt. Hamilton
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1967
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1967

About this map

Lick Observatory crowns the summit of Mt Hamilton, serving as a prominent landmark in this rugged portion of the Diablo Range. The landscape is defined by a dense network of ridges and canyons, including Valpe Ridge and Castle Ridge, which frame the high-elevation basins of Halls Valley and Isabel Valley. This mid-century survey captures a transition point in Santa Clara County history, where the upland interior remained dominated by established family holdings such as the Grant Ranch, Hendricks Ranch, and the Fisher Homestead.

Remote infrastructure is sparse, noted by the Smith Creek Ranger Sta and winding tracks like the Jeep Trail that penetrate the Burnt Hills. The drainage patterns of San Felipe Creek and Isabel Creek illustrate the natural isolation of these eastern hills before the suburban expansion of the Santa Clara Valley reached these steeper slopes. Genealogists and local historians can trace the precise footprints of numerous 20th-century ranching operations, from Evergreen Ranch to the Richmond Ranch.