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1896 Map of Pyramid Peak

Name: 1896 Topographic Map of Pyramid Peak
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1913
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1913

About this map

Lake Tahoe and its surrounding Sierra Nevada summits dominate this late nineteenth-century survey, conducted by A.H. Thompson and R.H. McKee. The landscape is a complex network of high-altitude basins and river forks, including the South Fork American River and the Rubicon River. Distinctive landmarks such as Lovers Leap and Pyramid Peak rise above early pioneer infrastructure, where names like Uncle Toms Cabin and Slippery Ford indicate the early routes and waypoints used by travelers and miners.

Industry and settlement are visible through the mapping of Glen Alpine Springs and the early layout of Tallac, alongside the presence of Kirkwood and Yanks near the Lake Valley shoreline. The map reveals the early political boundaries of El Dorado, Amador, and Placer counties, documenting the region's character as the nineteenth-century gold rush era transitioned into early tourism and conservation around Emerald Bay.