1955 Map of Bend

About this map

The High Desert and Cascade Range transition is meticulously detailed here, centered on the growing hub of Bend and the vast Warm Springs Indian Reservation. The hydrology of Central Oregon is a primary focus, illustrating the complex irrigation networks of the North Unit Main Canal and Pilot Butte Canal that transformed the arid plains around Madras and Redmond into productive agricultural land. The confluence of the Deschutes River, Metolius River, and Crooked River at Lake Billy Chinook highlights the significant recreational and hydroelectric development at The Cove Palisades State Park. To the west, the volcanic skyline of the Three Sisters, Mt Jefferson, and Mt Washington dominates the landscape, showing the early boundaries of the Three Sisters Wilderness Area. Rail history is preserved through the routes of the Oregon Trunk Ry and Union Pacific RR, which navigated the deep river canyons to reach isolated outposts like South Junction and Willowdale.