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1919 Map of Piedras Blancas

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

USGS Topo · Published 1919

About this map

The rugged shoreline of San Luis Obispo County is defined by prominent coastal landmarks in this 1917 survey, most notably the Lh at Piedras Blancas Point. This maritime orientation is reinforced by distinctive offshore features such as Harlech Castle Rock, Breaker Pt, and La Cruz Rock. The map illustrates the coastal interface where steep drainages like Arroyo de la Cruz and Arroyo de los Chinos meet the Pacific Ocean, cutting through the coastal terrace from the interior heights of Pine Top Mtn.

Social life on the coastal plain is centered around the Washington School, located just inland from the Piedras Blancas area. The presence of this school suggests a small, settled community of ranchers or lighthouse keepers' families living along the northern reaches of the county. The map also records early place names like Yellow Hill and Pt Sierra Nevada, marking the transition between the shoreline and the upland topography of the Piedra Blanca region.