1956 Map of Cinder Cone Butte

About this map

The high desert landscape along the Ada Co Elmore Co line is defined by its volcanic geology and strategic military utility in the mid-1950s. At the heart of the terrain stands Cinder Cone Butte, an isolated landmark that features a Cinder Pit near its summit, indicating the era's local extraction of volcanic materials. The vast, open expanses were heavily utilized for defense training, with large swaths designated as the National Guard Maneuver and Firing Area and the Mountain Home Air Force Base Gunnery Range. Water management in this arid environment is centered on the Fraser Reservoir, held by the Fraser Dam, where drainage from Squaw Creek and Canyon Creek converges. This survey captures a specific moment when the Idaho desert was being partitioned for both resource use and national defense.