1951 Map of Malheur Butte

About this map

The prominent volcanic plug of Malheur Butte dominates the southern landscape of this 1951 survey, standing as a landmark above the Malheur River. This arid region of eastern Oregon is defined by an intricate network of irrigation, featuring the Owyhee Canal and Gillerman Canal which bring water to the farming benchlands. A complex system of levees and siphons manages the flow through the Ontario Heights area, where community life centered on the Ontario Heights Grange and the Ontario Heights Church. To the northeast, the land gives way to a series of deep drainages including North Fork Jacobsen Gulch and Jacobsen Gulch. The burgeoning transportation infrastructure of the era is evident in the layout of the Ontario Airport near Butler Blvd, marking the post-war transition of this rural agricultural corridor.