Oregon Central Military Road Map, 1865

Title: Oregon Central Military Road Map, 1865

ID: MAPS MilitaryRoad

Extent: 0.01 cubic feet. More info below.

Languages of Materials: English [eng]

Abstract

The Oregon Central Military Road Map depicts a portion of the Oregon Central Military Road as surveyed in July-September, 1865. The Oregon Central Military Road was constructed and maintained by the Oregon Central Military Wagon Road Company that was incorporated in Eugene, Oregon, in 1864.

Scope and Content Notes

The Oregon Central Military Road Map depicts a portion of the Oregon Central Military Road as surveyed in July-September 1865. The hand-drawn manuscript map depicts the daily progress of the survey party, which was accompanied by a U.S. Army cavalry escort. Major geographic and natural features along the route are shown on the map, including the Middle Fork of the Willamette, Deschutes, and Williamson Rivers; Klamath Marsh, Fort Klamath, Klamath Lake, and Lower Klamath Lake; the Lakes Basin including Goose, Summer, and Abert Lakes; and Diamond Peak, Beatys Butte, and Steens Mountain. The route of the wagon road crossed through the Klamath Reservation. The map has an approximate scale of 1 inch = 15 miles or about 1:1,000,000. The map is approximately 17 x 22 inches and is backed with linen.

The creator of the map is not identified.

Biographical / Historical Notes

The Oregon Central Military Wagon Road was built by a private corporation, the Oregon Central Military Road Company (Eugene, Oregon) through federal land grants to the State of Oregon for the purpose of constructing a military wagon road from Eugene, Oregon, to Boise, Idaho. Initial surveying and construction began in 1864, however, most of the surveying for the road was conducted in the summer of 1865.

Administrative Information

More Extent Information: 1 oversize box

Statement on Access: Collection is open for research.

Acquisition Note: This map was transferred from the Oregon State University Libraries' map collection to the Special Collections & Archives Research Center in 2014.

Related Materials: The Oregon State University Libaries' microfilm collections include a Report of the Recent Surveys and Progress of Construction of the Oregon Central Military Road, which includes a day-by-day report of the 1865 survey. An historical overview of the road, Oregon Central Military Wagon Road, A History and Reconnaissance, was prepared by Stephen Dow Beckham for the Willamette National Forest. The Oregon Central Military Road Company Records are available at the Oregon Historical Society. Survey plat maps for this region of Oregon are part of the Central and Eastern Oregon Township Plats in the OSU Special Collections and Archives Research Center.

Preferred Citation: Oregon Central Military Road Map (MAPS MilitaryRoad), Oregon State University Special Collections and Archives Research Center, Corvallis, Oregon.

People, Places, and Topics

Klamath Basin (Or.)--Maps.
Klamath Indian Reservation (Or.)--Maps.
Military roads--Oregon.
Natural Resources
Oregon Central Military Road Company (Eugene, Or.)
Oregon Central Military Wagon Road
Oregon Multicultural Archives
Roads--Oregon.