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1950 Map of Jefferson Island

Name: 1950 Topographic Map of Jefferson Island
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1963
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1963

About this map

The Boulder River and Jefferson River converge in a landscape defined by ranching and resource extraction. Significant infrastructure from the Chicago Milwaukee ST Paul And Pacific and the Northern Pacific railroads follows the river valleys, connecting small settlements like Cardwell and Jefferson Island. The era is marked by a transition in land use, where local industry such as the Gypsum Mine (Inactive) and several Mines (Aban'd) sit alongside the emerging recreational draw of Lewis And Clark Cavern State Park.

Genealogists will find a wealth of family-named locations, including the Ballard Ranch, Dawson Ranch, and the O Shanholtzer Ranch. The map captures local community life through the presence of the Eureka School, the Dodge Church, and the South Boulder Cemetery. Extensive irrigation networks, like the Dogtown Flume, illustrate the efforts to manage the water of the South Boulder Creek for agricultural viability in the London Hills.