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1932 Map of Sonoma Range

Name: 1932 Topographic Map of Sonoma Range
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1965
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1965

About this map

Sonoma Range dominates this Great Basin landscape, situated between the expansive Grass Valley and Pumpernickel Valley. Recorded during the early 1930s, the map reveals a rugged ranching and mining frontier where the Humboldt River corridor serves as the primary artery for transportation. Both the Southern Pacific Railroad and the Western Pacific Railroad traverse the northern reach alongside the Victory Highway, connecting small stations and sidings like Valmy and Stonehouse.

Resource extraction and high-desert agriculture define the local economy, visible through operations at the Quicksilver Mine and Copper Basin. Isolated life is anchored by numerous family outposts such as Polkinghorne Ranch and Siard Ranch, while the Pearce Sch provided a centralized point for the region's rural families. Geothermal features like Kyle Hot Springs and Hot Spring highlight the unique geology that attracted early settlers to this part of Pershing and Humboldt counties.