1915 Map of Priest Valley

About this map

Monterey National Forest dominates this landscape of the Diablo Range, where early twentieth-century mining and ranching define the settlement patterns. The northeastern corner is particularly active with industrial features including the New Idria Idria P O and several mercury or mineral extraction sites like the Alpine Mine and Gem Mine. In the rugged interior, isolated outposts such as Hernandez and Priest Valley served the surrounding sheep and cattle ranches, while the southern edge of the survey reveals the Southern Pacific Railroad following the San Lorenzo Creek near San Ardo. The abundance of one-room schools, from the Columbus School to the Paris School, illustrates a time when these remote canyons and valleys supported a distributed network of families. Distinctive geological formations like The Pinnacles and Juniper Ridge are clearly delineated, marking the high country between the Central Valley and the coast.