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1955 Map of Medford

Name: 1955 Topographic Map of Medford
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1977
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1977

About this map

The Rogue River corridor serves as the primary artery for Southern Oregon in this mid-century survey, connecting the valley hubs of Medford, Grants Pass, and Ashland. The landscape is dominated by the intersecting heights of the Cascade Range and the Siskiyou Mountains, where timber and mineral interests shaped the settlement pattern. Extensive rail infrastructure, including the Southern Pacific and the Medford Corporation lines, underscores the region's industrial reliance on forest products and freight.

Remote outposts and mining sites like the Nickel Mountain Mine near Glendale and the historic gold-country town of Jacksonville reflect a century of resource extraction. To the east, the volcanic peaks of Mount McLoughlin and the deep caldera of Crater Lake define the high country. Southern reaches near the California border show the transition into more isolated terrain, with settlements like Cave Junction and Waldo providing access to the Oregon Caves National Monument and the steep drainages of the Illinois River.