1907 Map of Olancha

About this map

Owens Lake and the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada dominate this early 20th-century survey of the California high country. The eastern edge captures the Southern Pacific System rail line connecting the lakeside settlements of Cartago and Olancha, while the vast interior is defined by protected federal lands including Sequoia National Park and Inyo National Forest. The map documents a wilderness landscape shaped by water and geological heat, noting features like Kern Hot Spring, Jordan Hot Sprs, and the Natural Bridge. Evidence of human industry and transit appears in the high passes and remote mining locations such as The Tunnel near South Fork Meadows. Numerous meadows like Sky Parlor Meadow and Mulkey Meadows are carefully recorded, suggesting their importance for grazing and early mountain travel before the development of modern roads.