1891 Map of Truckee

About this map

Central Pacific Railroad tracks dominate the northern landscape of this 1889 survey, cresting at Donner Pass and descending through Summit Valley toward the high-altitude hub of Truckee. This era of the High Sierra reveals a working landscape where industry and early recreation meet, evidenced by several sawmills and the Prosser House near Boca. Along the western shores of Lake Tahoe, early settlements like Tahoe City, McKinney, and Bellevue are established, linked by the geography of McKinney Bay and Cornelian Bay. Further south, the high peaks of the Sierra divide the Placer and El Dorado county lines, with remote landmarks such as Rubicon Springs and the South Fork American River marking the edge of the wilderness before the widespread development of the modern Tahoe basin.