1980 Map of Chapman Lake

About this map

Bonnie Lake and Chapman Lake anchor this 1980 survey of the Scablands terrain south of Cheney, where the landscape is defined by the carved basalt coulees of the Rock Creek drainage. A notable historical waypoint is marked by the Capt J Mullan Historical Mon along the old wagon route through the coulee, commemorating the road-building efforts of the mid-19th century. The map detail highlights the sparse settlement of the region, where rural life revolved around the complex hydrology of the lakes and seasonal springs. Evidence of the area's geological and human history is etched into the terrain, from the Buckeye junction along Rock Creek to the various gravel and borrow pits that supported local infrastructure. The transition from Spokane County into Whitman County is captured at the southern edge, crossing the finger-like extension of Bonnie Lake.