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1963 Map of Hilgard

Name: 1963 Topographic Map of Hilgard
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1983
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1983

About this map

The Grande Ronde River carves a central path through this portion of the Whitman National Forest, serving as a vital corridor for both natural drainage and human transport. In the early 1960s, the Union Pacific railroad and a modern 4 Lane highway followed the river's winding course, connecting the small settlements of Hilgard and Perry. These mountain communities were built on the logistics of the era, evidenced by a Weighing Station, a Gaging Station, and a Gravel Pit positioned along the primary transit lines.

Upland from the river, the landscape is defined by deep canyons such as Coyote Canyon and Peach Canyon. Local history is anchored at the Hilgard Cem, while the industrial footprint includes an isolated Mill and a network of Pipelines. Notable water features like Morgan Lake and Hunter Lake sit on the higher plateaus, away from the bustling river valley where an Old Railroad Grade hints at earlier, bypassed routes of travel.