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1972 Map of Mt. Ireland

Name: 1972 Topographic Map of Mt. Ireland
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1985
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1985

About this map

Whitman National Forest dominates the landscape of this Grant and Baker County border region, showcasing an extensive network of 19th and early 20th-century lode mining operations. The crest of the Blue Mountains is marked by the Mt Ireland Lookout, which oversees a high-elevation terrain etched with named gulches and alpine meadows like Mahoney Mdws and Gold Center Meadow. The dense concentration of extraction sites, including the California Mine, Imperial Eagle Mine, and the Mormon Boy Mine, illustrates the intensity of the gold and silver rushes that once defined this area.

Evidence of historical habitation and infrastructure remains at the Gold Center (Site) and the Boundary Creek Forest Service Station. The drainage patterns of the McCully Fork and Silver Creek are lined with numerous placers and mines, such as the Weaver Placer and Maidens Dream Mine. This survey preserves the location of these often-remote operations, connected by a intricate system of pack trails and early access roads through the timber.