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1902 Map of San Gorgonio

Name: 1902 Topographic Map of San Gorgonio
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1920
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1920

About this map

San Bernardino National Forest dominates the southern half of this 1902 survey, where the San Bernardino Mountains transition sharply into the Mojave Desert. This landscape represents a turn-of-the-century crossroads of early recreation, mining, and ranching. The high-altitude basins contain significant water features like Bear Lake and Baldwin Lake, which served as hubs for early mountain activity. Near the gold-bearing heights of Gold Mt., the settlement of Doble and the Lakeview Mill stand as markers of the era's industrial footprint.

Further north, the terrain drops into the desert floor, punctuated by isolated outposts such as Box S Ranch and Old Woman Springs. The map documents a primitive network of trails and canyons, including Wild Rose Canyon and Blackhawk Canyon, that provided access for prospectors and cattlemen. The southern boundary reaches the Morongo Indian Reservation and the upper reaches of the Whitewater River, illustrating the complex land divisions of early California.