1956 Map of Leadore

About this map

Leadore sits at the junction of mountain and valley, serving as a hub for the high-country economy of Lemhi County in the mid-1950s. The settlement pattern is defined by the Lemhi River and its tributaries, including Eighteenmile Creek and Texas Creek, which drain the massive slopes of the Salmon National Forest. High-altitude landmarks like Sheephorn Peak and Junction Peak overlook a landscape carved by mining and transport, where prospects, shafts, and gravel pits dot the hillsides. The transportation history of the region is clearly visible through the Union Pacific Railroad tracks and an Old Railroad Grade that trends southward toward the high basin. Local history is anchored by the McRea Cem and the Leadore Ranger Sta, while numerous backcountry trails like the Foot Trail near Purcell Spring indicate the era's reliance on rugged access routes for forest management and mineral exploration.