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1965 Map of Vantage

Name: 1965 Topographic Map of Vantage
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1966
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1966

About this map

The Columbia River serves as the dominant spine of this landscape, separating the high basalt plateaus of Kittitas Co and Grant Co. This mid-1960s survey documents the area shortly after the completion of the Wanapum Dam, showing the complex infrastructure of the Powerhouse, Fish Ladder, and nearby Vantage Substation that transformed the river into a source of regional power. The map captures the small community of Vantage at a transition point, with its localized water tank and museum serving travelers near the crossing.

To the east, the terrain rises sharply from the water at Babcock Bench toward the elevated Frenchman Hills. This arid environment is defined by geological features such as Sand Hollow and various Sand Dunes, alongside erosional coulees like Schnebly Coulee and Ryegrass Coulee. On the western shore, the Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park preserves the area's ancient botanical history, with distinctive landmarks like Hole in the Wall marking the rugged river canyon.