1965 Map of Ritz

About this map

Great Northern rail lines anchor the western edge of this Boundary County landscape, serving the small community of Ritz and vital industrial loading points. The timber and agricultural economy of the mid-1960s is evidenced by the De Voignes Spur grain elevator and the Watson Spur, which provided essential links for local production. To the east, the terrain rises into the Kaniksu National Forest, where the Regal Mine sits near the headwaters of Meadow Creek. This survey captures a rural Idaho mountain valley defined by a network of drainage systems like Templeman Creek and Bane Creek, which flow toward the developed Bench. Small social hubs like the Deer Park Community Hall and logging-era sites such as Camp Nine illustrate the scattered settlement patterns of the panhandle before modern expansion. Water resources are plentiful throughout the forest, including Templeman Lake, Smith Lake, and the remote Leslie Springs.