1979 Map of La Grande

About this map

The Grande Ronde River and the Union Pacific Railroad define the industrial and transit corridor through the Blue Mountains in this late 1970s topographic record. La Grande serves as the regional hub, flanked by smaller communities like Island City and the mountain settlement of Starkey. Much of the terrain is governed by the Umatilla National Forest and Whitman National Forest, reflecting a landscape managed for timber, wildlife, and research, most notably within the Starkey Experimental Forest. Evidence of the region's pioneering history is preserved in the Old Emigrant Road, while the resource extraction economy is marked by sites like the Aurelia Mine and Camp Carson Mine. This map captures the transition from historic trails to modern infrastructure, including Interstate 80N, against a backdrop of complex drainage systems including Meadow Creek and Catherine Creek.