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1943 Map of Ortigalita Peak

Name: 1943 Topographic Map of Ortigalita Peak
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1943
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1943

About this map

Ortigalita Peak anchors the rugged interior of the Diablo Range in this 1943 survey, marking a landscape where the arid ridges of the Panoche Hills meet the fertile western edge of the San Joaquin Valley. This era shows a transition from high-country ranching to valley-floor water management, evidenced by the intricate system of the San Joaquin and Kings River Canal and the Kings River Canal cutting across the eastern flats.

Genealogists and local historians will find several family-named outposts recorded before modern development, including the Gaston Bide Ranch and Asburns Ranch. The map also captures the essential social infrastructure of this remote country, from the Charleston School in the north to the Hamburg Ranch School near the valley floor. Water sources like Carrisalito Spr and the Oil Pumping Sta highlight the vital resources needed to sustain life between the hills and the valley.