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1951 Map of Washington

Name: 1951 Topographic Map of Washington
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1951
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1951

About this map

South Fork Yuba River dominates the northern landscape of this Nevada County gold country map, where the settlement of Washington sits at the confluence with Washington Creek. The area is a dense record of hydraulic and hard-rock mining history, evidenced by the extensive Alpha Diggings and Omega Diggings on the high ridges. Complex water management infrastructure, including the Cascade Canal and various flumes, supported both mining and later hydroelectric development at Drum Powerhouse.

Genealogists and historians can trace defunct industrial hubs like the King Woolford Mill Site and the Towle Mill Site, or follow the Probable Route of historical travel ways through Tahoe National Forest. From the Blue Lead Mine in the northwest to the Zeibright Mine in the east, the map reveals a terrain deeply transformed by extraction. Small sites of human activity like Relief, Dana Ranch, and the White Cloud Guard Sta are plotted alongside family-named landmarks like McGuire Mtn and Nigger Jack Hill.