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1955 Map of Crescent

Name: 1955 Topographic Map of Crescent
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1966
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1966

About this map

The Southern Pacific and Great Northern railroads anchor the central Oregon corridor in the mid-1950s, cutting through a landscape dominated by volcanic geology and protected timberlands. The convergence of Deschutes National Forest, Winema National Forest, and Fremont National Forest highlights the region's importance to the timber industry, with the company town of Gilchrist serving as a primary settlement. To the east, the terrain shifts dramatically from the high forest into the arid basins of Fort Rock Valley and Christmas Lake Valley, where small outposts like Stauffer and Hampton dot the sagebrush plains.

Water management and recreation are central to this era, as evidenced by the massive Wickiup Reservoir and Crane Prairie Reservoir. Volcanic history is recorded through features such as Edison Ice Cave, Lava Butte, and the northern edge of Crater Lake National Park. From the alpine heights of Bachelor Butte to the marshes of Klamath Marsh, the map details a region transitioning from isolated timber and rail camps into a more integrated recreational and agricultural landscape.