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1965 Map of Vantage

Name: 1965 Topographic Map of Vantage
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1978
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1978

About this map

Wanapum Lake dominates this mid-century landscape, a reservoir created by the construction of the Wanapum Dam at the southern edge of the quadrangle. The map captures the significant hydroelectric infrastructure of the era, including a powerhouse, fish ladder, and the Vantage Substation. On the western bank, Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park preserves the unique geologic heritage of the area, with Rocky Coulee and Ryegrass Coulee cutting through the terrain toward the water.

The small settlement of Vantage serves as a critical transit point where Interstate 90 crosses the Columbia River. East of the river, the landscape rises into the Frenchman Hills and the expansive Babcock Bench. Geologists and local historians can trace the transition from the river's edge to the high desert, marked by features like Sand Hollow and various sand dunes, illustrating the arid environment that defines this portion of Kittitas and Grant counties.