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1919 Map of San Simeon

Name: 1919 Topographic Map of San Simeon
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1931
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1931

About this map

The Hearst Ranch and the coastal settlement of San Simeon anchor this 1917 survey of the central California coast, captured before the development of modern Highway 1. The landscape is defined by the steep transition from the Pacific Ocean to the Santa Lucia Range, where the rugged terrain of Piedra Blanca meets the Santa Rosa Valley. This era shows a working coastline where Leffingwell Landing provided a maritime outlet for inland resources.

Industrial activity is concentrated in the mercury and mineral deposits of the hills, including the Cambria Mine and the Oceanic Mine. Early education is marked by distributed rural institutions like Home School and Santa Rosa School. The presence of established camps like Burnett Camp and Chileno Camp suggests a landscape of active ranching and early tourism, while the Old Castro House stands as a landmark of the region's ranchos history.