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Title: National Forests in Oregon Maps, 1910-1989

Predominant Dates: 1921-1965

ID: MAPS USFS

Primary Creator: United States. Forest Service

Extent: 4.5 cubic feet. More info below.

Arrangement: This collection is arranged in 3 series. I. Indexes and Regional Maps, 1918-1982; II. National Forests Maps, 1910-1989; and III. Wilderness Areas, 1964-1979.

Languages of Materials: English [eng]

The National Forests in Oregon Maps consists of maps of all the national forests in Oregon prepared by the U.S. Forest Service. The collection includes maps of the entire forests, ranger districts, and wilderness areas. The maps depict key landscape features, forest roads, campsites, ranger stations and lookouts, recreational sites, and main roads near each forest. Forest reserves were established in Oregon in the early 1890s; many of these reserves became National Forests in the early 1900s after the establishment of the U.S. Forest Service.

The National Forests in Oregon Maps consists of maps of national forests in Oregon prepared by the U.S. Forest Service. The collection includes maps of the entire forests, regional maps depicting all the forests in Oregon, some Ranger District maps, and maps of wilderness areas and the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail. Several of the forests extend into California or Washington. The maps provide details such as location, condition, and road numbers for forest roads, campsites and recreational sites, Ranger and lookout stations, key land features, streams, towns in the surrounding vicinity, and main highways in the regions, as well as the National Forests' boundaries. The maps also have the legal townships, ranges and sections, corresponding to the Public Land Survey System. Some maps also include information provided by the Forest Service to those visiting the forests such as what do if lost, how to drive on forest roads, and other potentially valuable information. The maps vary in scale from 1 inch=2 miles to 1 inch=5 miles scale. The maps are arranged by the current forest name.

Prior to the establishment of individual National Forests, the state of Oregon had several forest reserves that had been formed in 1891-1893. The largest reserve, Cascade Range Forest Reserve, was established in 1891. In 1905 the forest reserves were transferred to the management of the Department of Agriculture, who then formed the United States Forest Service to manage these National Forests.

Despite petitions by local citizens to dissolve the Forest Reserves, the Reserves persisted until 1908, when they were split up into several National Forests. Many were just renamed from a reserve to National Forest. However, the 4.5-million-acre Cascade Range Forest Reserve was divided into the Oregon, Cascade, Umpqua, and Crater National Forests. Some of the forests were further divided through the 1930s so that the portions of the Oregon and Cascade National Forests west of the crest of the Cascades were split and renamed into the Mt. Hood and Willamette National Forests. Areas to the east were divided into the Deschutes and Paulina National Forests. While some of the above forests have maintained their original National Forest names, many have been renamed and combined since they were initially formed.

The National Wilderness Preservation System was established by the Wilderness Act in 1964. Within Wilderness Areas, human activities are limited to scientific study and non-mechanized recreation. Areas within the National Forests that were already designated as "wilderness" or "wild" became part of the system in 1964; in Oregon, this included the Diamond Peak, Eagle Cap, Kalmiopsis, Mount Hood, Mount Washington, Strawberry Mountain, and Three Sisters Wilderness Areas. The Mount Jefferson Wilderness Area was established in 1968.

More Extent Information: 375 maps; 17 map folders

Statement on Access: Collection is open for research.

Acquisition Note: The maps were transferred from the Oregon State University Libraries' historic and storage maps collections to the Special Collections & Archives Research Center in 2013 to form this collection.

Related Materials: The Special Collections and Archives Research Center holdings include extensive materials pertaining to forests and forestry in Oregon and the Northwest. Maps and other materials documenting national forests in Oregon are available in the Gerald W. Williams Collection (MSS WilliamsG) and Donald B. Zobel Collection of Historic Forestry and Vegetation Maps (MAPS ZobelMaps). The Siuslaw National Forest Aerial Photographs (P 292) include aerial images of the forest made in the early 1970s.

Preferred Citation: National Forests in Oregon Maps (MAPS USFS), Oregon State University Special Collections and Archives Research Center, Corvallis, Oregon.

United States. Forest Service
United States. Forest Service. North Pacific District
United States. Forest Service. Pacific Northwest Region

Deschutes National Forest (Or.)--Maps.
Diamond Peak Wilderness (Or.)--Maps.
Eagle Cap Wilderness (Or.)--Maps.
Forest reserves--California.
Forest reserves--Oregon.
Forest reserves--Washington (State)
Fremont National Forest (Or.)--Maps.
Kalmiopsis Wilderness (Or.)--Maps.
Klamath National Forest (Calif. and Or.)--Maps.
Malheur National Forest (Or.)--Maps.
Mount Hood National Forest (Or.)--Maps.
Mount Hood Wilderness (Or.)--Maps.
Mount Jefferson Wilderness (Or.)--Maps.
Mount Washington Wilderness (Or.)--Maps.
Natural Resources
Ochoco National Forest (Or.)--Maps.
Pacific Crest Trail--Maps.
Rogue River National Forest (Or. and Calif.)--Maps.
Siskiyou National Forest (Or. and Calif.)--Maps.
Siuslaw National Forest (Or.)--Maps.
Strawberry Mountain Wilderness (Or.)--Maps.
Three Sisters Wilderness (Or.)--Maps.
Trails--Oregon.
Umatilla National Forest (Or. and Wash.)--Maps.
Umpqua National Forest (Or.)--Maps.
Wallowa-Whitman National Forest (Or.)--Maps.
Wallowa National Forest (Or.)--Maps.
Whitman National Forest (Or.)--Maps.
Wilderness areas--Oregon.
Willamette National Forest (Or.)--Maps.
Winema National Forest (Or.)--Maps.

Forestry maps.
Maps (documents)