1954 Map of Sutter Buttes

About this map

The dramatic volcanic silhouette of the Sutter Buttes rises abruptly from the floor of the Sacramento Valley, dominated by peaks like North Butte and South Butte. This mid-century survey illustrates a complex hydraulic landscape where the Sacramento River meanders past Meridian and Grimes amidst an intricate network of man-made diversions. The Sutter Bypass and Tisdale Bypass channel floodwaters through the lowlands, while the Sutter Nat Wildlife Refuge preserves the wetland character of the former Butte Sink. Rural life is anchored by family-named landmarks like Stohlman Cemetery and the Winship School, alongside industrial remnants such as the Southern Pacific railroad and the Eddys Ferry site. Settlement patterns follow the levees and high ground, revealing the era's dependence on river management and agricultural drainage in the shadow of the world's smallest mountain range.