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1964 Map of Turner Butte

Name: 1964 Topographic Map of Turner Butte
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1984
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1984

About this map

The Oregon Trail winds across the high basalt plateaus of this 1964 survey, following an approximate route through a landscape defined by deep canyons and prominent volcanic buttes. To the west, the John Day River carves a sharp boundary between Sherman and Gilliam counties, while the Union Pacific railroad line mirrors the trail's path across Shutler Flat.

Small agricultural footprints like the settlement at Rock Creek and the siding at Barnett stand as isolated landmarks amidst the vast drainage networks of Alkali Canyon and Scott Canyon. Surveyed landmarks such as Butcher Butte, Turner Butte, and Diamond Butte provide vertical orientation for this dry interior region, where seasonal water sources like Cedar Spring and Hay Creek were critical for travelers and local operations alike.