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1958 Map of Wapato

Name: 1958 Topographic Map of Wapato
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1960
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1960

About this map

The Yakima River defines the landscape of this 1950s irrigation-driven corridor, marking the Indian Reservation Boundary and feeding a complex network of waterways including the Wapato Canal and Sunnyside Canal. The settlement of Wapato serves as the central hub, characterized by its grid of schools and infrastructure, including Wapato High School and the KOC Radio Tower. To the north, the river is managed via the Sunnyside Dam and a nearby Gaging Station.

Rural life in the Yakima Valley is anchored by community landmarks such as the Parker Heights Grange and smaller outlying settlements like Donald and Ashue. The Northern Pacific railroad cuts a diagonal path through the valley, paralleling the river and connecting the agricultural lands. On the northern periphery, the Rattlesnake Hills rise above the irrigated flats, providing a stark topographical contrast to the gridded system of lateral roads and drains that supported the mid-century farming economy.