2012 Map of Westville

About this map

Westville sits atop the high ground of the Forest Hill Divide in this rugged section of Placer County, where the landscape is defined by the steep descents into Humbug Canyon and the N Fork American River. The map captures a high-country region where historic mining and timber operations have left a permanent mark on the terrain. Evidence of significant 19th-century hydraulic engineering remains visible through the China Wall Iowa Hill Ditch and the Breece and Wheeler Ditch, which once channeled water across the ridges. Small settlements and camps like Damascus, Forks House, and Rawhide are spaced along the divide, while industrial relics such as the Osborne Tunnel and Maxwell Sawmill highlight the area's extractive history. From the peaks of Sawtooth Ridge to the depths of Italian Bar, the map documents a complex network of forest roads like Pioneer Mine Rd connecting these remote outposts.