1969 Map of Circular Butte NW

About this map

National Reactor Testing Station lands dominate this high desert landscape, which sits at the intersection of several county boundaries in eastern Idaho. The 1969 field survey reveals a sparsely developed environment defined primarily by industrial and utility infrastructure, including a prominent network of fence lines and access roads cutting across the terrain. Water resources are limited in this arid region, marked by the presence of Birch Creek and scattered infrastructure such as a Well to support operations. Industrial activity is evidenced by small-scale extraction sites like a Gravel Pit and a Borrow Pit, typical of the region's mid-century development for testing and research facilities. The map captures a specific moment in the expansion of federal scientific research sites, showing the transition from open range to a controlled technological corridor.