1948 Map of Wilbur

About this map

The town of Wilbur serves as the focal point of this 1940s landscape, situated along the Burlington Northern railroad in the Big Bend country of Washington. The map details a significant period of transition following the creation of Franklin D Roosevelt Lake, where the impounded Columbia River and Sanpoil River meet. This newly formed reservoir within the National Recreational Area is contrasted by the high plateau to the south, where dryland farming and small communities like Sherman and Creston are established. To the north, the Colville Indian Reservation spans the rugged terrain across the water, accessible via the Lincoln Co Ferry. Local social life is evidenced by the Potlatch Grange, while the deep cuts of Penix Canyon and Moyer Canyon reveal the complex topography leading down to the river banks.