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1951 Map of Independence Rock

Name: 1951 Topographic Map of Independence Rock
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1953
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1953

About this map

Independence Rock stands as the singular focal point along the Sweetwater River, marking a critical waypoint for 19th-century travelers. This 1951 survey documents the high-desert terrain of the Oregon Trail as it passes through the Devils Gate canyon. The map highlights the intersection of pioneering history and mid-century ranching life, noting the Historical Site where travelers carved their names into the granite.

Evidence of the early postal network is preserved at the Pony Express Sta near Sun Ranch, while the landscape is defined by massive outcrops like Sentinel Rocks and Point of Rocks. Several Historical Markers signify the hardships of the trail, resting near water features such as Schounmaker Ditch and the Soda Lakes. This detailed record captures a stretch of Wyoming where the geography forced a bottleneck for nearly every major westward migration route.