1893 Map of Ishawooa

About this map

The Absaroka Range dominates this late-19th-century survey, revealing a landscape defined by high-altitude mesas and the headwaters of the Shoshone River. This reconnaissance work, led by geographer A.H. Thompson, documents the rugged wilderness of the Shoshone National Forest and the eastern boundary of Yellowstone National Park. A significant human imprint is found at the Stinkingwater Mining Region near the confluence of Saddle Creek and Needle Creek, where prospectors sought riches in the volcanic peaks. The map carefully details drainage patterns and high passes, such as Ishawooa Pass, which served as critical transit points through the mountains. From the Thorofare Plateau to the distinct summits of Ishawooa Cone and Kingfisher Peak, the sheet captures the region before modern infrastructure, when travel relied on following waterways like the North Fork Shoshone River and Thorofare Creek.