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1953 Map of Pendleton

Name: 1953 Topographic Map of Pendleton
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1957
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1957

About this map

The Columbia River forms the northern lifeline of this mid-century landscape, dominated by the rise of infrastructure and military installations during the early Cold War. Recent engineering projects like McNary Dam near Umatilla and Power City have reshaped the river's flow, while the inland territory is defined by the massive footprint of the Umatilla Ordnance Depot and the Boardman Bombing and Gunnery Range.

Tracing the path of The Old Oregon Trail across the Blue Mountains, the map documents the historical transition from pioneer routes to the industrial might of the Union Pacific railroad. From the agricultural hubs of Pendleton and Hermiston to the high elevations of the Umatilla National Forest, this survey captures a region balancing its tribal heritage on the Umatilla Indian Reservation with the rapid expansion of federal land management and strategic military geography.