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1954 Map of San Gorgonio Mountain

Name: 1954 Topographic Map of San Gorgonio Mountain
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1957
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1957

About this map

San Gorgonio Mountain dominates this mid-century survey of the high San Bernardino range, where the landscape transitions from established alpine resorts to the protected San Gorgonio Wild Area. Along the northern edge, Big Bear Lake Village and Moonridge represent the post-war expansion of mountain recreation, supported by numerous organizational sites like the Pasadena YMCA Camp and Long Beach YMCA Camp. The map documents a complex network of seasonal camps and canyon settlements, including Fallsvale and Valley of the Falls tucked into the steep drainages of Mill Creek Canyon.

Evidence of early industrial and resource management is scattered throughout the terrain, from the Mill Creek Mine to the Big Oaks Powerhouse. The mapping captures the distribution of remote outposts such as Pine Knot Ranger Sta and the Heart Bar Ranch, alongside localized infrastructure like Oak Glen Sch. These details illustrate how mid-century California managed the tension between burgeoning mountain tourism and the preservation of the San Bernardino National Forest.