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1994 Map of Wallace

Name: 1994 Topographic Map of Wallace
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1994
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1994

About this map

The Bitterroot Range forms a formidable natural boundary between Idaho and Montana, anchoring a landscape defined by industrial extraction and expansive timberlands. This mid-1990s survey illustrates the high density of mining operations concentrated along the Interstate corridor near Wallace and Mullan, including the Galena Mine, Lucky Friday Mine, and Star Mine. These sites speak to the region's enduring identity as the Silver Valley, where geology dictated the placement of every mountain settlement.

South of the mining districts, the terrain transitions into the protected wilderness of the St Joe National Forest and Lolo National Forest. The map traces the winding course of the St Regis River and the historic path of the Milwaukee Road, alongside prominent peaks like Snow Peak and Monumental Buttes. The distribution of towns such as Saltese and De Borgia follows the narrow valley floors, illustrating how transportation routes were forced to navigate the steep ridges of the Bitterroot Mountains and Coeur d'Alene Mountains.