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1950 Map of Saddle Mountain

Name: 1950 Topographic Map of Saddle Mountain
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1955
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1955

About this map

The Michigan-California Lumber Co RR winds through this rugged Sierra Nevada landscape, illustrating the industrial timber operations central to the region in the mid-twentieth century. Settlement is concentrated in small ranching and lumbering outposts such as Pollock Pines, Quintette, and Lynchburg Hill. The map meticulously tracks the infrastructure of the Eldorado National Forest, where the El Dorado Power House and various gaging stations along the South Fork American River highlight the era's focus on hydroelectric power and water management.

Genealogists and local historians will find significant detail in the dispersed landmarks, from the Mosquito District School to family-named sites like the Bacchi Ranch, Morton Ranch, and Van Vleck. Remnants of the Gold Rush era are still visible through numerous labeled mines, including the Kentucky Flat Mine and Badger Hill Mine, alongside the Bullion Bend Historic Marker, which notes the site of a famous stagecoach robbery. The terrain is characterized by steep ridges like Peavine Ridge and deep canyons such as Long Canyon, which dictated the winding paths of the Wentworth Springs Road and Georgetown Road.