Wednesday, July 09, 2008

Where's Dunlap?

I love this strip map that Brent posted. It still shows Tulare Lake! (presumably as wetlands at this point in the early 20th century).

I assume the road leading from Fresno towards Kings Canyon is the "old" Kings Canyon Road (much of which would become 180). I can't quite tell from the detail but Dunlap seems a little misplaced.

This reminds me of the minor mystery of why Google Maps so distinctly shows Dunlap labeled well to the east of where it should be. Maybe there's still some confusion amongst map makers?

Place names fascinate me. Lots of maps show historic locations that you can find listed as "populated places." I've been to Crabtree and Rodgers Crossing recently. Metropoli they're not. Note that "Rodgers Crossing" shows up twice--once as a "populated place" spelled Rodgers and once as a "crossing" spelled Rogers. I suspect it was originally a cable ferry populated by some attendant (two small piers still straddle this slow spot in the river). Later a bridge was built a few hundred yards downriver--I believe now called Rogers Bridge.

It's curious that these locations were once populated enough to find their way into the registry of place names--even though they've been long since depopulated. Find some near you and go visit. It's amazing the sense of history one can get from a place full of nothing.