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1949 Map of Mt. Tom

Name: 1949 Topographic Map of Mt. Tom
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1955
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1955

About this map

Tungsten Hills and the high elevations of the Sierra Nevada define this landscape, where post-war mineral extraction shaped local settlement patterns. Industrial activity is centered on the massive Pine Creek Mine complex, which includes the Pine Creek Mine-Zero Adit and the Pine Creek Tungsten Mill. Nearby, the community of Scheelite and the residential area of Rovana support the workforce, while the Vanadium Ranch points to the specific ores being pulled from these slopes.

Away from the industrial corridors, the map reveals a rugged backcountry of high-altitude lakes and meadows. Features like Dutch Johns Meadow and McGee Meadow sit alongside dozens of remote water bodies, including Desolation Lake and Horton Lake. The transition from the Volcanic Tableland in the northeast to the peaks of Mt Tom and Mt Humphreys highlights the dramatic elevation changes that necessitated the winding Sherwin Grade for early motorists.