1958 Map of Ellensburg South

About this map

Ellensburg serves as the focal point of this 1950s survey, updated in the late 1970s to reflect the expanding infrastructure of the Kittitas Valley. The map details the transition from the structured city grid—anchored by landmarks like the Courthouse and several local institutions including Lincoln Sch and Washington School—to the steep elevations of Manastash Ridge and Umtanum Ridge. The Yakima River snakes through the center of the quadrangle, flanked by agricultural irrigation works such as Tjossem Ditch and the Naneum Creek drainage. Transportation corridors are well-defined, showing the paths of the Burlington Northern and Chicago Milwaukee St Paul & Pacific railroads. Rural life is evidenced by small settlements like Thrall and Holmes, alongside the outlying Dammon School, illustrating the distribution of the valley’s mid-century population before modern development intensified.