1955 Map of Idaho Falls

About this map

The Snake River valley and its surrounding high desert define this mid-century landscape, anchored by the burgeoning regional hub of Idaho Falls. To the west, the volcanic geology of the Craters Of the Moon National Monument contrasts with the massive, industrial footprint of the National Reactor Testing Station, a critical site of Cold War-era energy research. The map illustrates a complex water management system essential for agriculture in the arid Snake River Plain, showing the network of canals and reservoirs such as Mackay Reservoir and American Falls Reservoir. In the rugged terrain to the northwest, the White Knob Mountains and Pioneer Mountains loom over mining operations like the Empire Mine and Copper Basin Mine. Along the eastern edge, the Union Pacific railroad corridor connects established agricultural towns like Blackfoot and Shelley within the Fort Hall Indian Reservation.