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1950 Map of Washington

Name: 1950 Topographic Map of Washington
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1960
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1960

About this map

The South Fork Yuba River cuts through the heart of this gold-country landscape, where the legacy of hydraulic mining and hard-rock exploration is evident in the numerous sites along the ridges. The settlement of Washington sits at the river's edge, surrounded by massive mining scars such as Alpha Diggings and Omega Diggings. Evidence of early industrial infrastructure is scattered throughout the Tahoe National Forest, including the Towle Mill Site and the historic Junction House.

Logistics and water management define the terrain, from the Cascade Canal to the modern energy production at the Deer Creek Powerhouse. High ridges like Washington Ridge and Burington Ridge separate the major drainages of Deer Creek and Greenhorn Creek. For historians, the presence of the Donner Trail crossing the high ground and the abandoned sites at Lowell Hill offer specific points of interest regarding California's early transit and settlement patterns.