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1936 Map of Swarthout

Name: 1936 Topographic Map of Swarthout
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1936
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1936

About this map

The San Gabriel Mountains provide a dramatic backdrop for the sprawling recreational and scientific infrastructure established by the mid-1930s. This survey, conducted by R.W. Burchard, highlights a period when Los Angeles County heavily invested in mountain retreats, evidenced by the Big Pines Recreation Camp of Los Angeles County and its sister facility, the Prairie Fork Recreation Camp. These camps are remarkably detailed, showing specific amenities like Tennis Courts, a Rodeo Corral, and even a Master Ski Jump.

Scientific and industrial history is represented by the high-elevation Smithsonian Solar Observatory and the Native Son Mine (Abandoned). The transition from extraction to conservation is visible near the Prairie Fork Ranger Station, while the complex topography of Table Mountain and Blue Ridge separates developed valleys like Swarthout Valley from the wilder stretches of the Prairie Fork and East Fork drainage systems.