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1959 Map of Prairie City

Name: 1959 Topographic Map of Prairie City
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1961
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1961

About this map

Prairie City anchors this Grant County landscape where the John Day River flows through a valley defined by timber and mining resources in the late 1950s. The town shows its industrial character with a prominent Mill, a Sewage Disposal plant, and a Gaging Sta along the water. To the south, the topography rises sharply into the Malheur National Forest and the Strawberry Mountain Wilderness, a high-elevation region marked by landmarks like Strawberry Mtn and Wildcat Basin.

The survey highlights the intersection of natural thermal features and early mountain industry. Features like Blue Mtn Hot Springs and a smaller Hot Spring near Ray Ranch contrast with the rugged utility of the Marks-Thompson Mine and various gravel pits. Remote outposts and family-named locations such as Oxbow Ranch, Crescent Camp, and Cash Camp are linked by a network of primitive routes, including the Sky Line Trail and Little Baldy Trail, which trace the high ridges between the Strawberry Creek and Dixie Creek drainages.