1957 Map of Thorn Creek SW

About this map

Little City of Rocks dominates the northern edge of this Idaho landscape, where the high desert terrain transitions into a complex network of canyons and plateaus. By the late 1950s, the southern portion of the quadrangle shows the clear imprint of agricultural engineering, marked by the North Gooding Main Canal and Gooding Main Canal. These waterways, along with the Robertson Ditch and Union Ditch, represent the essential irrigation infrastructure required to sustain life and industry in Gooding County. The natural drainage of Thorn Creek and Turkey Creek cuts through the elevation, while landmarks like Turkey Head Butte and the small Turkey Lake provide navigational anchors in the open country. This survey, based on 1954 aerial photography, captures the area during a period of steady water management development, seen in the contrast between the wild basalt formations of the north and the channeled lowlands to the south.