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1979 Map of Crescent

Name: 1979 Topographic Map of Crescent
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1994
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1994

About this map

Walker Rim dominates the central landscape of this high-altitude region, where the volcanic geology of the Cascades meets the arid stretches of the eastern basin. In the late 1970s, the corridor of U S Highway 97 linked the small timber and rail-dependent communities of Gilchrist, Crescent, and Chemult. This map captures a transition point in the Oregon interior where the Deschutes National Forest and Winema National Forest give way to the striking geothermal features of the Antelope Desert.

Evidence of the area's ancient geological history is found in landmarks like Hole in the Ground and Big Hole, which sit near the edge of the Fort Rock Valley. Local transportation patterns are defined by the competing routes of the Southern Pacific and Burlington Northern railroads, which parallel the highway through the marshes and volcanic buttes. To the east, the map details the vast Paulina Marsh and the settlement of Silver Lake, illustrating the stark contrast between the timbered uplands and the alkaline flats.