1949 Map of Indian Butte

About this map

Indian Butte rises above a high desert landscape dominated by drainage patterns and military history at the borders of Elmore, Owyhee, and Twin Falls counties. The terrain is deeply inscribed by seasonal watercourses like Cassia Gulch, Tuana Gulch, and Big Sailor Creek, which cut through the sagebrush plains toward the Snake River valley. Central to this 1949 survey is the sprawling Aerial Gunnery Range, marked by a distinct Military Reservation Boundary that occupies much of the central and northern sections of the quadrangle. This mid-century view captures the area before significant modern development, showing the remote network of trails and unimproved roads leading toward Glenns Ferry and Castleford. For researchers, the map provides precise topography of the volcanic buttes and the rare water source at Tuana Spring.