1962 Map of Boise

About this map

The Snake River and its major tributaries, the Boise River and Payette River, anchor this mid-century survey of the Treasure Valley and the high desert to the south. Irrigated agriculture and water management are prominent, marked by the extensive Mora Canal and Phyllis Canal systems, along with major reservoirs like Lake Lowell and the C.J. Strike Reservoir. The map captures the regional centers of Boise, Nampa, and Caldwell as they appeared in the early 1960s, linked by the Union Pacific Railroad and a burgeoning highway network. To the south, the Owyhee Mountains rise sharply, containing the remote mining settlement of Silver City and various isolated peaks such as Wilson Peak. Land surveying history is noted at Initial Point, the principal reference for Idaho land surveys, while recreational and conservation areas including the Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge and Boise National Forest define the valley's edges.