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1956 Map of Stratford

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Stratford
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1957
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1957

About this map

The Great Northern railway corridor serves as the primary artery for Grant County in the mid-1950s, connecting the small settlements of Stratford, Adco, and Adrian. This arid landscape is defined by the massive Columbia Basin Project infrastructure, which brought significant hydrological changes to the Coulee region. The irrigation network is prominently featured, including the Main Canal, West Canal, and East Low Canal, which redirect water around the basalt coulees and natural features like Pinto Ridge.

Evidence of local history and the managed environment appears through the Cem near Stratford and the State Game Reserve bordering the Long Lake Reservoir. The engineering of the day is visible in the Long Lake Dam, its associated Spillway, and several miles of Levee. While the high ground is dominated by features like Black Butte, the lowlands show a reliance on both natural water bodies like Crab Creek and manufactured siphons and canals to support the rural economy.