1956 Map of Crater Rings

About this map

The volcanic landscape of the Idaho high desert is anchored by the Crater Rings, two large adjacent pits that dominate the western portion of this 1950s survey. This era shows a transition between historical transit and mid-century defense needs. The Old Oregon Trail Highway runs parallel to the Union Pacific (Oregon Short Line), cutting a path through the sagebrush past the small stations at Cleft and Sebree. To the south, the expansion of the Cold War-era Mountain Home Air Force Base Gunnery Range marks a significant portion of the terrain, bounded by a Military Reservation Boundary and served by its own Military Railroad. Water management is critical in this arid environment, evidenced by scattered reservoirs and the Fraser Reservoir, alongside a network of canyons and a modern pipeline.