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1918 Map of Preston

Name: 1918 Topographic Map of Preston
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1946
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1946

About this map

Gentile Valley and the Bear River corridor serve as the agricultural heart of this 1915 survey. The landscape is defined by an intricate network of irrigation systems, including the Oneida Canal, Preston Canal, and West Canal, which supported the early development of Preston, Franklin, and Weston. These engineering efforts transformed the arid benches of Poverty Flats and the basins around the Cub River into productive farmsteads. The industrial footprint of the era is visible through the Power Plant on the Bear River and the infrastructure of the Oregon Short Line railroad.

Community life is anchored by a significant concentration of early educational and religious landmarks, such as the Thatcher Meetinghouse, Trout School, and Egypt School. To the east, the map transitions into the high peaks of the Bear Lake and Franklin County border, where several remote outposts like the Meadow View Ranger Station and Green Basin Ranger Station overseen by the Forest Service indicate the region's early management of timber and grazing lands.