1953 Map of Picture

About this map

The John Day River carves a deep path through Grant and Wheeler counties, revealing the dramatic geology of the Picture Gorge and the expansive John Day Fossil Beds State Park. This mid-century survey captures a ranching landscape defined by isolated homesteads and seasonal camps, such as the Cant Ranch, Humphrey Ranch, and Mascall Ranch. The presence of the Erickson Mill (Aband) near Sunflower Flat suggests the small-scale timber operations that once punctuated these high basins. The map is particularly useful for locating named cabins and springs, including the Old Armunger Cabin and Old Kennedy Cabin, which provide evidence of earlier settlement patterns in the rugged basins of Big Basin and Butler Basin. These features, along with landmarks like Sheep Rock and Turtle Cove, illustrate the intersection of pioneer habitation and the preserved natural history of the region.