Loading map...

1901 Map of Ellensburg

Name: 1901 Topographic Map of Ellensburg
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1907
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1907

About this map

Ellensburg and North Yakima anchor the north and south of this late-nineteenth-century landscape, connected by the vital Northern Pacific RR corridor along the Yakima River. The terrain is defined by a series of prominent southeast-trending ridges, including Manastash Ridge, Umptanum Ridge, and Cowiche Mountain, which dictate the drainage patterns of significant watercourses like the Naches River and Tieton River.

Agricultural and transport development is evident in the Selah Valley and Wide Hollow, where early irrigation potential is signaled by the branching creek systems. Further west, the map details the rugged upland crossings of the Old Durr Road and the scattered mountain settlements of Nile and Tampico. The southern boundary reveals a portion of the Yakima Indian Reservation, while the interior provides a detailed look at the complex canyons and flats, such as Rocky Flat and Kelley Hollow, that shaped early Kittitas and Yakima County ranching and transit.