1967 Map of Virtue Flat

About this map

Oregon Trail wheel ruts and historic paths trace through this landscape east of Baker, Oregon, where the 1960s terrain remains defined by its gold mining legacy. The high ground of Flagstaff Hill and the expanse of Virtue Flat are dotted with numerous workings, including the Flagstaff Mine, Columbia Mine, and the Virtue Mine. These sites represent the intensive mineral exploration that shaped the region's development following the arrival of pioneers, a history marked by the Oregon Trail Historical Monument near the western edge of the sheet. The drainage patterns of North Fork Ruckles Creek and Crews Creek further illustrate the difficult geography encountered by early travelers and prospectors alike. Local infrastructure at this time consists of a network of unimproved dirt roads and jeep trails connecting various pits and mine shafts, such as the Hidden Treasure Mine and St Paul Mine, to the more established Road corridors.