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1951 Map of Bates

Name: 1951 Topographic Map of Bates
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1968
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1968

About this map

Bates and Austin Junction anchor this mid-century survey of the Blue Mountains, showing the area's transition from a hard-rock mining hub to a timber-driven economy. The Sumpter Valley RR corridor follows the drainages of the Middle Fork John Day River, a landscape defined by high summits like Dixie Butte and Vinegar Hill. The map meticulously records the industrial legacy of the region, documenting numerous active and dormant claims including the Ben Harrison Mine, Standard Mine, and the historic China Diggings.

Logging infrastructure is evident through the network of forest roads and the presence of the Landing Strip near the county line. Public land management by the Whitman National Forest is well-established, with sites like the Sunshine Guard Station and Dixie Forest Camp serving the area. This record provides researchers with the precise locations of small-scale operations like the Morning Mine and Tempest Mine before later reclamation changed the visible landscape.