1917 Map of Portneuf

About this map

The Portneuf Valley at the time of this 1914 survey is defined by a transitional landscape between the Fort Hall Indian Reservation to the west and the high country of Tenmile Pass to the southeast. At the heart of the region sits Chesterfield, a settlement established during the expansion of agricultural irrigation in the high desert of Idaho. The importance of water management is evident in the extensive Portneuf-Marsh Valley Irrigation Co Feeder Canal and Ditch, which draws from the Portneuf Reservoir to support local ranching and homesteads. Rural education is exceptionally well-documented here, with several family-named or local district schoolhouses scattered across the valley, including Gooch School, Rigby School, Kelly School, and North Canyon School. The Oregon Short Line runs along the southern edge near Kinport, providing the vital rail link that connected these remote settlements to wider markets while skirting the Cache National Forest.