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1894 Map of Idaho City

Name: 1894 Topographic Map of Idaho City
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1947
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1947

About this map

Idaho City serves as the focal point of this late 19th-century topographic study, which captures the Boise Basin during a significant era of gold mining and mountain settlement. The map traces the intricate drainage systems that defined early Idaho development, including Grimes Creek, Moore Creek, and Elk Creek. A string of historic mining camps and settlements—Quartzburg, Placerville, Pioneerville, and Centerville—occupies the northwestern quadrant, connected by early trails and rugged gulches like Boyles Gulch and Slaughter House Gulch.

Southward, the landscape transitions toward the South Fork Boise River, where the terrain becomes increasingly complex around Thorn Creek Mtn. and Bald Mtn.. The presence of Halfway House along the western edge suggests the importance of travel waypoints in this high-altitude environment. From the peaks of Wilson Peak to the broad expanse of Smith Prairie, the map provides a foundational record of the Boise National Forest region before modern infrastructure altered its original character.