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1950 Map of Canyon Ferry

Name: 1950 Topographic Map of Canyon Ferry
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1956
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1956

About this map

Canyon Ferry Dam anchors this mid-century Missouri River survey, capturing a landscape in transition as the reservoir rises behind it. The map documents the original location of Old Canyon Ferry alongside the newer infrastructure being developed by the Bureau of Reclamation. To the north, the Big Belt Mountains are etched with countless mining-era drainages like Magpie Creek and Hellgate Gulch, where the Argo Mine sits as a remnant of earlier prospecting.

Settlement patterns show the scattered communities of York, Kingsberry, and Placer, the latter served by the Northern Pacific railroad at the southern end of the Spokane Hills. High-altitude landmarks like the Spokane Beacon and VABM 5518 Spokane provide essential navigation points for the era's aviators. This sheet offers a primary record of the Missouri River Basin project’s impact on local topography, from the flooding of historical flats to the preservation of rural institutions like the Beaver Creek School.