1940 Map of Quien Sabe

About this map

Quien Sabe Valley and the Real de las Aguilas land grant define this territory where the Diablo Range divides Merced and San Benito counties. The landscape is marked by the deep drainage of Quien Sabe Creek and the South Fork Los Banos Creek, reflecting a rugged pastoral and mining economy. The Stayton Mine sits near the northern boundary, while the local civic center is represented by the isolated Quien Sabe School. In the south, ranching life is anchored by the Buena Vista Ranch near the edge of the Las Aguilas Valley. This 1940 tactical map, prepared by the Corps of Engineers, captures the complex network of canyons like Piedra Azul Canyon and Ortigalita Canyon before modern development altered these remote interior valleys.