California Maps

The following maps show California and Butte County from 1851 to 1950.  Starting in 1862, the county was divided into Townships, each with 36 sections; each section was then divided into 160 acre quarter sections which are referred to in land deeds filed after 1862 to identify parcel locations. Prior to that time, land deeds and mining deeds referred to  natural landmarks or postings on trees to identify the boundaries of a deed or claim.