1954 Map of Grants Pass

About this map

The Rogue River dominates this mid-century landscape, carving a fertile valley through the Klamath Mountains near the hub of Grants Pass. The map reveals a post-war rural infrastructure of small schools such as Oak Grove Sch, Fort Vannoy Sch, and Wilderville Sch, alongside an irrigation network of unnamed canals and the Highline Canal. The industrial character of Josephine County is visible in the numerous gold and quartz mines tucked into the hills, including the Columbia Mine, Granite Hill Mine, and the Oregon Bonanza Mine. Transportation relies on the Southern Pacific railroad and the Merlin Grade, connecting timber and mining interests. Further south, the Applegate River flows through Murphy, while the Rogue River National Forest marks the higher elevations where peaks like Pennington Mtn and Mungers Butte overlook the surrounding gulches and creeks.