1917 Map of Diamond Lake

About this map

Diamond Lake sits at the heart of this high-elevation landscape, where the headwaters of the North Umpqua River and the Middle Fork Willamette River diverge toward their respective valleys. Surveyed just before the First World War, the map captures a wilderness transitioning into a managed resource under the emerging oversight of the Deschutes National Forest, Umpqua National Forest, and Crater National Forest. Communication and logistics in this era relied on isolated outposts such as the Rigdon Ranger Sta and the Mountain Meadows Ranger Station. Historical transportation corridors including the Military Road and the Ft Klamath Road represent early efforts to traverse the High Cascades. From the dramatic precipice of Mt Thielsen to the tumbling Lemolo Falls, the topography reflects a land defined by volcanic geology and the early development of Crater Lake National Park at its southern edge.