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1915 Map of Preston

Name: 1915 Topographic Map of Preston
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1915
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1915

About this map

Preston and the surrounding agricultural valleys of southeastern Idaho are captured here during a period of significant irrigation and railroad expansion. The Bear River and Mound Valley River serve as the primary lifelines for the region, feeding a complex network of man-made waterways like the Oneida Canal and West Cache Canal. These irrigation systems supported a string of small rural communities and educational outposts, including the Thatcher Meetinghouse, Egypt School, and Winters School.

Transport is dominated by the Oregon Short Line, which parallels the state line and connects settlements like Dayton, Weston, and Franklin. To the east, the landscape rises sharply into the Cache National Forest, where a series of high-altitude basins and remote outposts such as the Franklin Basin Ranger Station and Copenhagen Basin contrast with the settled flats of Poverty Flats and Bear Lake Valley. The presence of local landmarks like the Hot Springs near Cleveland and a Power Plant on the river highlights the early 20th-century utilization of the area's natural resources.