California Surveyors Forums

While understanding that California is a very diverse state in terms of land surveying, I am looking for an image which personifies the practice of land surveying in this state and which might be published in BPELSG's Board Bulletin. My original focus is towards something historical as that usually peaks my interest immediately. However, I am open to other types of images which might better cover the diversity of the practice in California.

Appreciate any input and sharing of images for this use.

Thanks
Ric

Ric, there are several nice historical drawings, and at least one photo, showing dramatic landscapes and surveyors, produced by the California Geological Survey* work in the late 1860s. These would be among the earliest illustrations** showing surveyors and their instruments in the state. And they would all be public domain images. Here's one example, a drawing of Cathedral Peak (Yosemite) with CGS surveyors in the foreground:

The earliest actual photo I'm aware of shows a surveyor with instrument near the summit of Mt. Hoffman, again from Yosemite. I think the person shown might well be Hoffman himself. It was taken in 1867.

*Geological Survey of California. 1865. Geology, Volume I; Report of progress and synopsis of the field work from 1960 to 1864, Josiah D. Whitney, State Geologist.

** I know there's at least one drawing of a surveying party in Williamson's railroad survey report from 1853. Fremont's reports from the 1840s might have one or more as well, which would be the absolute earliest possible.

Jim

Thank you for the graphic and ideas Jim!

Ric, you might want to contact Keith Nofield and or Gwen Gee, they just took some photos up on Mount Diablo with some historic instruments for the MDSHS website and to prepare for the upcoming 175th anniversary of the initial point.

Surveying in California....

Expectation: Reality:

Ric, here's the photo I mentioned earlier.

The location is Mount Hoffman, Yosemite NP, and the pictured surveyor is probably either Charles Hoffman or James Gardiner, CA Geological Survey. It was taken by an early photographer named Harris in, I think, 1867. I don't remember where I found it, long ago now. Mount Hoffman is significant also--it was favored due to a commanding view in all directions. The Wheeler survey used it about 10 years later, and the USGS 20 years after that.

Edit: I just found my notes on iy and apparently it appears in the 1868 edition of Josiah Whitney's "The Yosemite Book", taken by W. Harris in 1867.

dmcdougall wrote: Tue Mar 24, 2026 5:21 pm Surveying in California....

Expectation:
Irvine.jpg

Reality:
Dumpster Fire.jpg

hahahaha, good one

jrbouldin wrote: Wed Mar 25, 2026 9:11 am Ric, here's the photo I mentioned earlier.

The location is Mount Hoffman, Yosemite NP, and the pictured surveyor is probably either Charles Hoffman or James Gardiner, CA Geological Survey. It was taken by an early photographer named Harris in, I think, 1867. I don't remember where I found it, long ago now. Mount Hoffman is significant also--it was favored due to a commanding view in all directions. The Wheeler survey used it about 10 years later, and the USGS 20 years after that.

Edit: I just found my notes on iy and apparently it appears in the 1868 edition of Josiah Whitney's "The Yosemite Book", taken by W. Harris in 1867.

Harris 1867 Hoffman with surveyor.jpg

Nice!! Thanks for digging this up and sharing.

Using the search term 'surveyor' and limiting to images on https://calisphere.org/ yields a variety of historic images.

The attached is referenced as, "On the summit of Mt. St. Helena, June 5th, 1898, view (L1)," University of California at Berkeley, Summer School of Surveying."

Enjoy the search!

Great picture! Thanks for sharing!

Nice find Danielle! Thanks