1973 Map of Little Butte NE

About this map

The Idaho National Engineering Laboratory dominates this expanse of the Snake River Plain, reflecting the Cold War-era focus on nuclear research and development in the high desert. Established in the late 1940s, the facility occupies a massive footprint that crosses several county lines, including the junction of Jefferson, Bingham, and Bonneville counties. The landscape is characterized by its isolation and sparse development, with few named landmarks beyond the industrial laboratory grounds and the open terrain of Tractor Flat to the south. This survey captures a moment when the region was primarily dedicated to high-stakes scientific testing, showing a network of unimproved roads and remote water sources like the lonely Well sites that serviced the arid interior.