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1941 Map of Black Rock Spring

Name: 1941 Topographic Map of Black Rock Spring
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1941
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1941

About this map

Umtanum Ridge and Yakima Ridge define the complex topography of this central Washington landscape, where high basaltic plateaus are cut by deep erosional features like Alkali Canyon and Corral Canyon. This 1936 survey reveals a ranching-based economy, with isolated homesteads such as the Hohnen Ranch and Bernhardt Ranch scattered across the high country. The distribution of these family-named operations highlights the importance of localized water sources in a semi-arid environment, anchored by the central Black Rock Spr.

Infrastructure is sparse, primarily consisting of the White Bluffs Road and the Taylor Sch, which served the children of the scattered ranchers. To the south, the terrain descends into the Moxee Valley and Black Rock Valley, bounded by the Rattlesnake Hills. The map clearly delineates the boundary between Kittitas and Yakima Counties, providing a detailed look at the land use and drainage patterns before mid-century development changed the region.