1989 Map of Grants Pass

About this map

Grants Pass serves as the primary hub in this late 1980s look at Southern Oregon, where the Southern Pacific railroad and Interstate 5 follow the path of the Rogue River. The map documents a transition from the urban concentration of the river valley to the dense wilderness of the Siskiyou Mountains. To the southwest, the Illinois Valley hosts a string of smaller settlements like Selma, Kerby, and Cave Junction, which acts as the gateway to the Oregon Caves National Monument. The region’s reliance on its natural resources and topography is evident in the numerous creek-side communities, from Wilderville on the Applegate River to the southern outpost of O'Brien near the California border. Vast protected areas like the Kalmiopsis Wilderness and Siskiyou National Forest dominate the landscape, preserving the rugged character of the Klamath Mountains region.