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1919 Map of Mt. Whitney

Name: 1919 Topographic Map of Mt. Whitney
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1919
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1919

About this map

The Owens Valley serves as the central corridor of this 1919 survey, where the Southern Pacific Railroad tracks parallel the Owens River. The settlement of Independence stands as a primary hub, situated near the remnants of Old Camp Independence. To the south, Manzanar and Lone Pine appear along the rail line, established before the profound environmental changes that would later affect the valley's water systems.

Rising sharply to the west, the High Sierra landscape is dominated by the massive peaks of the Sequoia National Forest and Sierra National Forest, including Mt Whitney and the Kings-Kern Divide. Significant geological and industrial markers are present, such as an Earthquake Fault running near the river and the Bluebell Mine in the Inyo Mountains. This map captures a critical era of transit and transition for Inyo County, showing the network of creek-fed settlements like Aberdeen and Diaz against a backdrop of formidable mountain passes.