1896 Map of Fish Lake

About this map

Fish Lake sits at the heart of this high-elevation landscape, surrounded by the towering peaks of Mt Marvine and Mt Hilgard. This 1890s reconnaissance, conducted under J. W. Powell, reveals a series of isolated valley settlements linked by the Sevier River and its tributaries. The map details the transition from the irrigated fields of Salina and Glenwood to the more remote cattle-raising outposts of Rabbit Valley. Geologically, the survey captures the dramatic scale of the Water Pocket Flexure and the expansive Aquarius Plateau, illustrating how the massive volcanic and sedimentary formations dictated the early patterns of Mormon pioneer settlement in central Utah. From the ranching camps at Bean Spring to the small community of Cousharem, the document preserves the spatial layout of an era defined by high-desert agriculture and grazing.