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1958 Map of Thorp

Name: 1958 Topographic Map of Thorp
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1966
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1966

About this map

Thorp and the surrounding Kittitas County landscape in the late 1950s are defined by the convergence of the Yakima River and two major rail lines: the Northern Pacific and the Chicago Milwaukee St Paul and Pacific. This era showcases a highly developed irrigation and transit network, with the West Side Canal and Town Canal feeding the valley floor while Thorp Siding serves as a vital rail link.

The transition from the high elevations of the Wenatchee National Forest to the agricultural valley is marked by family-named infrastructure and community hubs. From the Liberty Guard Sta and Old Placer Mine in the north to the Central Wash College of Educ in Ellensburg, the map documents a mix of logging, mining, and institutional growth. Local education and burial grounds, such as the Reecer Creek School and Swauk Prairie Cem, provide essential anchor points for genealogical research in this part of Washington.