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1893 Map of Mountain Home

Name: 1893 Topographic Map of Mountain Home
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1916
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1916

About this map

The Oregon Short Line Railroad bisects the high desert of Elmore County, anchoring the settlement of Mountain Home. Surveyed in the late 19th century, this map documents the critical transport corridor between the rugged southern reaches of the Boise National Forest and the Snake R. to the south. The landscape is defined by a dense network of seasonal drainages, including Rattlesnake Creek, Cañon Creek, and Squaw Creek, which flow toward the Snake River through a transition from mountainous terrain to open plateau.

Industrial and agricultural potential is evident in the upland grazing of Smith Prairie and the vital water access provided by the Boise River in the northeastern corner. Smaller outposts like Cleft mark the rail line, serving as waypoints in an era when the railroad was the lifeblood of Idaho’s interior expansion. The intricate topography, captured by W.T. Griswold, illustrates the complex relationship between the region's volcanic geography and its early rail-driven economy.