Loading map...

1966 Map of Smeltz

Name: 1966 Topographic Map of Smeltz
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1967
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1967

About this map

The Northern Pacific railroad cuts a diagonal path through the undulating terrain of Umatilla County, following the natural contours of Vansycle Canyon. This 1960s landscape is defined by its agricultural infrastructure and dry-land water features, where small clusters of settlement like Vansycle and Stanton appear as critical transit points. At both locations, the presence of a Grain Elevator underscores the region's reliance on rail for moving harvest from the surrounding plateau.

The map reveals a network of deep-cut drainage systems including Warm Springs Canyon, South Fork Juniper Canyon, and Raymond Gulch. Several small quarries are scattered along the hillsides, while the state and county line between Washington and Oregon and Walla Walla and Umatilla counties runs across the northern edge of the sheet. Further south, the railroad passes through Smeltz and Apex, providing a clear record of the rural rail-and-ranch economy before modern developments altered these small outposts.