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1956 Map of Silver Lake

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Silver Lake
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1959
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1959

About this map

Eldorado National Forest and Stanislaus National Forest converge in this mid-century survey, a landscape defined by high-altitude camps and a developing water management system. The map documents the historical Plasse Trading Post (Site) near the banks of Silver Lake, a focal point for early Sierra travel. The 1950s infrastructure is prominent, featuring the Salt Springs Reservoir and the Lower Bear River Reservoir spillway, which reshaped the drainages of the North Fork Mokelumne River.

Genealogists and local historians will find a dense network of seasonal settlements and organization retreats, from the Campfire Girls Camp to Camp Eldorado (BSA) and the Stockton Mun Camp. The terrain is scattered with family-named locations such as Schneider Camp, Mahon Camp, and Votaw Camp, alongside industrial traces like the Lost Cabin Mine. This era represents a period when the wilderness was increasingly organized for recreation and hydroelectric power, even as remote locales like Nigger Flat and Shanty retained their pioneer-era nomenclature.