1912 Map of Sutter Buttes

About this map

The volcanic peaks of the Marysville Buttes rise dramatically above the Sacramento Valley floor, dominating this survey based on fieldwork from 1909 to 1911. The map illustrates the striking topographic contrast between the steep, serrated ridges of North Butte, West Butte, and South Butte and the surrounding alluvial plains. At the base of these peaks, the settlement of Sutter serves as a primary point of human activity, while the rural education system is represented by the isolated Slough School near the water's edge. The southern portion of the sheet reveals the complex hydrology of the region before modern drainage projects fully altered the landscape. Butte Slough and the expansive Sutter Basin reflect the seasonal inundation patterns common to the era, while the label for Long Bridge indicates a critical crossing point for local transportation across the marshy terrain.