1952 Map of Register Cliff

About this map

Oregon Trail tracks carve across the northern plateau of this 1952 survey, passing the renowned Register Cliff where thousands of westward emigrants carved their names into the soft sandstone. The map documents this vital corridor of western expansion, marking the Register Cliff Monument and the nearby Pony Express Sta at the Old Guernsey Ranch. The landscape is defined by the confluence of the North Platte River and the meandering Laramie River, which winds through the central and southern portions of the sheet. Industrial and agricultural development is evident through the Chicago Burlington and Quincy railroad line and a complex network of irrigation infrastructure including the Fort Laramie Canal and Interstate Canal. Further south, the expanse of Bettelyoun Flats gives way to the drainage of Sixmile Creek and Little Deer Creek, illustrating the transition from river bottomlands to the high plains.