1917 Map of White Mountain

About this map

White Mountain Peak dominates this high-altitude landscape along the border of California and Nevada, presiding over the rugged White Mountains and the sprawling Inyo National Forest. This 1913-1914 survey reveals an economy rooted in high-desert ranching and hard-rock mining, with the Southern Pacific railroad line skirting the western edge through the Volcanic Tableland. In the eastern lowlands of Fish Lake Valley, a network of remote homesteads such as Chiatovich Ranch and the McNett Ranch rely on seasonal runoff from Indian Creek and McAfee Creek. The map documents a scattered human presence at the height of the mining era, from the Mocalno PO at Cinnamon Ranch to specialized operations like the Black Warrior Mine and Queen Mines. A distinct northern boundary is marked by the Mt Diablo Base Line, while the Inyo Indian Reservation occupies the southwestern corner of the sheet.