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1956 Map of Pendleton

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Pendleton
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1956
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1956

About this map

Pendleton and the surrounding high plateau of northeastern Oregon are depicted here during a period of significant mid-century infrastructure growth. The Columbia River serves as the northern anchor, featuring the recently completed McNary Dam and the adjacent Umatilla Ordnance Depot, reflecting the region's military and hydroelectric importance in the 1950s. To the south, the Blue Mountains rise sharply, dominated by the Umatilla National Forest and the Whitman National Forest.

Transportation corridors follow historical precedents, with the Union Pacific railroad and The Old Oregon Trail winding through the hills toward Meacham and La Grande. The map illustrates a landscape of large-scale land use, from the Boardman Bombing and Gunnery Range in the west to the Umatilla Indian Reservation east of Pendleton. Irrigation and water management are evident through the McKay Reservoir and Cold Springs Reservoir, which support the agricultural settlements of Hermiston and Stanfield.