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1959 Map of Simmler

Name: 1959 Topographic Map of Simmler
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1967
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1967

About this map

Soda Lake sits at the heart of this dry, high-elevation landscape, where the expansive Carrizo Plain meets the base of the Temblor Range. The small settlement of Simmler serves as a remote outpost in this part of San Luis Obispo County, featuring a Community Hall and access to local water sources like Thompson Spring. The map documents a period when rural utility was prioritized over dense development, shown through the scattered Strip Mine operations and the presence of the Goodwin Ranch Airport in the southern reaches.

Industrial and agricultural markers like numerous wells and grain storage facilities characterize the land use along the Kern County border. The terrain is defined by the sharp transition from the flat, alkaline basin of the lake to the rising ridges of the Temblors, traversed primarily by jeep trails. This survey records a workspace of ranching and early mineral extraction before contemporary conservation efforts shifted the focus of this isolated valley.