1962 Map of Valley Springs

About this map

Mokelumne River and Calaveras River drainage basins define the landscape of western Calaveras County in this early 1960s study. The transition to a water-managed future is captured by blue hatching marking land slated for inundation by the Camanche Reservoir and New Hogan Reservoir. This era of massive hydrological change threatens old river-bottom settlements like Camanche and Lancha Plana, which sit near extensive tailings from earlier gold mining operations. Industry and agriculture are clearly delineated, from the Penn Mine and McCarty Mine to sprawling family-named holdings like Stone Corral Ranch and Bocabella Ranch. The Southern Pacific rail line serves as a central artery for transportation, connecting the small junctions of Burson (Helisma Sta) and Valley Springs as they navigate the foothill terrain between Gopher Ridge and the Bear Mountains.