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1967 Map of Santa Margarita Lake

Name: 1967 Topographic Map of Santa Margarita Lake
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1981
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1981

About this map

The Santa Margarita Lake reservoir dominates the northern landscape of this 1967 survey, providing a sharp contrast to the surrounding terrain of the Los Padres National Forest. The map documents the hydraulic and mining history of this part of San Luis Obispo County, showing the Salinas River feeding into the lake while various springs like Salsipuedes Spring No 1 and McNeil Spring dot the backcountry.

Prospectors and local historians will find evidence of mercury mining at the Rinconada Mine and the nearby Mercury Belle Mine. Small settlements and distinct family-named landmarks like Pilitas, Pippin Corner, and Magetti Flats offer a window into the rural distribution of the mid-20th century. High elevations such as Garcia Mountain and the Hi Mountain Potrero overlook a network of unimproved roads and jeep trails that once serviced these remote operations and homesteads.