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1967 Map of Waitsburg NW

Name: 1967 Topographic Map of Waitsburg NW
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1971
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1971

About this map

The county line between Walla Walla County and Columbia County divides this high-plateau landscape, characterized by steep drainage systems and isolated water sources. Named landmarks like Graveyard Hill and Fields Gulch define the local topography, while the presence of an Old RR Grade cutting through the terrain indicates a former corridor of transit that had already been superseded by the late 1960s.

Reliable water was clearly the lifeblood of this ranching country, evidenced by the cluster of named sites including Smith Springs, Colville Springs, and Celeste Springs. The Lost Springs Ranch serves as a primary settlement point near Lost Springs, marked by a local Radio Tower. Transportation in this era relied on the unpaved stretches of the Lyons Ferry Road, providing a glimpse into the infrastructure of rural Eastern Washington before modern development.