1949 Map of Mt. Tom

About this map

The Sierra Nevada high country and the industrial edge of the Round Valley meet in this 1940s-era study of California's eastern slope. The map is defined by a dense concentration of mineral extraction sites throughout the Tungsten Hills and the flanks of Mt Tom, reflecting the strategic importance of this region's tungsten deposits during and after the war. Notable operations like the Pine Creek Mine, Adamson Mine, and the Pine Creek Tungsten Mill are situated at significant elevations, connected to the valley floor by rugged roads. In the lower elevations, the small community of Rovana and the Round Valley School serve as the residential anchors for this industrial landscape. Above the mines, the terrain transitions into the high alpine lakes of the Inyo National Forest, including the Gable Lakes and French Lake, providing a stark contrast between the heavy industrial activity of the canyons and the glacial basins of the Humphreys Basin.