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1897 Map of Boise

Name: 1897 Topographic Map of Boise
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1913
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1913

About this map

Boise serves as the focal point of this late 19th-century survey, revealing a landscape defined by an intricate network of irrigation and early transportation. The city's northern edge is anchored by the Boise Barracks and the Natatorium, while the valley to the west is partitioned by several vital waterways including the Farmers Union Canal, Eureka Canal, and Phyllis Canal. These engineered channels bifurcate the land around Eagle Island, illustrating the foundational water management that allowed settlements like Meridian and Star to take root.

To the north, the terrain rises sharply toward Shafer Butte and Bogus Basin, where mining and logging interests were established. The presence of the Hawkins Toll Road near Horseshoe Bend and the Pearl mining area underscores the era's reliance on private infrastructure. Along the Boise River (South Branch), the Union Pacific R. R. Boise Branch connects the capital to the wider regional rail network, including the U. P. R. R. Oregon Short Line further south.