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1908 Map of Ironside Mountain

Name: 1908 Topographic Map of Ironside Mountain
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1947
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1947

About this map

Unity and Hereford anchor the northern reaches of this high-country landscape, where the Burnt River and its various forks dictate the pattern of early settlement. Surveyed at the dawn of the 1900s, the map reveals a remote ranching and timber economy centered on family-held landmarks and natural resource extraction. Industrial and agricultural development is evidenced by Otts Sawmill and the significant engineering of the Eldorado Ditch, which traverses the slopes of Mine Ridge.

The terrain is defined by prominent peaks like Ironside Mountain and Black Butte, with high-elevation basins such as Crane Prairie and Elk Flat providing seasonal grazing lands. For researchers, the presence of specifically named sites like Threemile Ranch, Hunters Ranch, and Wilson's Ranch provides a rare look at the established landholdings in this four-county intersection of Grant, Baker, Malheur, and Harney before later development altered these traditional boundaries.