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1917 Map of White Mountain

Name: 1917 Topographic Map of White Mountain
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1932
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1932

About this map

White Mountain Peak dominates this high-altitude survey of the borderlands between California and Nevada, a landscape where early twentieth-century mining and ranching intersected with the burgeoning infrastructure of the Inyo National Forest. Along the western foothills, the Southern Pacific railroad serves a string of ranching outposts and settlements including Benton Sta, Hammil, and Shealy. These lowland stations contrast with the high-mountain economy evidenced by the Tip Top Mine, Queen Mine, and Sacramento Mine, which reflect the region's mineral extraction history.

Remote family holdings such as the McNett Ranch and Chiatovich Ranch are situated near the edge of Fish Lake Valley, supported by seasonal runoff from the peaks. The inclusion of the Old Stage Road and several corrals, such as Stone Corral, highlights the reliance on established overland routes for moving livestock and ore before more modern transportation networks were fully integrated. This map also captures the local importance of the Mocalno PO and the McNett School, the social anchors for this dispersed high-desert community.