1953 Map of Banks

About this map

The confluence of the North Fork Payette River and the Payette River anchors this mid-century survey of Idaho's mountainous interior. The small settlement of Banks serves as a focal point for the region's transport and utility infrastructure, featuring a Union Pacific railroad line, multiple gaging stations, and a turntable. This era shows a landscape in transition, marked by the noted closure of rural educational centers like the High Valley Sch (Aband) and Dry Buck Sch (Aband), reflecting shifts in local population and land use within the Boise National Forest. High-altitude landmarks such as Fletcher Butte and the High Valley Ranger Station overlook a network of watercourses including Scriver Creek and Dry Buck Valley. The presence of the Pinehurst Church and scattered cemeteries provides essential touchstones for researchers tracing the family histories of the remote valleys and timbered gulches that define this portion of Boise, Gem, and Valley counties.