Old Map of Sunriver, Oregon by USGS, 1963 – Deschutes River, Benham Falls & Lava Butte

Created in 1963 and published in 1981, “Benham Falls” is a finely detailed US Geological Survey topographical map capturing a dramatic stretch of central Oregon around Sunriver, the Deschutes River, and the forested volcanic country south of Bend. At a 1:24,000 scale, the map offers an intimate view of terrain as it was recorded in the early 1960s, before later decades of resort growth, recreation planning, conservation work, and road development further reshaped the region. Its title refers to Benham Falls, a celebrated rapid on the Deschutes, where the river is compressed through basalt and broken water, an emblem of the area’s volcanic origins and enduring scenic appeal.

The US Geological Survey brought to this map the precision and visual discipline that made its quadrangles indispensable to explorers, engineers, foresters, land managers, and travelers. Contour lines sweep across the sheet in close, rhythmic patterns, giving form to ridges, river terraces, lava features, and lowland valleys. Color coding distinguishes water, woodland, built environments, and transportation features, while roads, trails, streams, lakes, and survey marks are carefully integrated into a coherent cartographic portrait. Rather than merely naming places, the map explains the landscape: the slope of the land, the drainage of the rivers, the relationship between forest, lava, settlement, and recreation.

Sunriver appears as a focal point of human presence within a much broader natural setting. Today widely known as a resort community, the area’s identity is inseparable from its proximity to the Upper Deschutes River, the Deschutes National Forest, and the recreational corridors that define central Oregon. On this map, Sunriver is shown in relation to river bends, forest roads, landings, parks, and trails, suggesting a landscape in transition from remote forest and river country toward a more formalized recreational destination. Nearby names such as Sportsman’s Park, Becker’s Landing, and River Bend evoke fishing, boating, camping, and seasonal movement along the water.

The Deschutes River is the map’s great organizing feature, winding northward through a corridor of forest, meadow, and volcanic terrain. Its tributary and neighboring waterways, including the Little Deschutes River and Tumalo Creek, reveal a hydrological network shaped by snowmelt, springs, lava flows, and high-desert climate. Benham Falls itself marks one of the most dynamic river scenes in the area, where elevation change and geology combine to produce turbulence and sound. The inclusion of North Twin Lake, South Twin Lake, and Nauvoo Lake broadens the map’s appeal, showing how lakes, wetlands, and river channels punctuate the forested plateau.

The surrounding Deschutes National Forest gives the map much of its character, with roads and trails threading through timberland, volcanic remnants, and recreational sites. Lava Butte, one of the region’s most distinctive geological landmarks, anchors the landscape in the volcanic history of the Newberry volcanic field, reminding the viewer that this quiet forested country was shaped by eruptions, basalt flows, cinder cones, and shifting drainage patterns. As a historical document, the map preserves a moment when central Oregon balanced working forest, public land management, and expanding leisure culture. Its contours and place names invite close reading, rewarding the viewer with both scientific clarity and regional atmosphere.

Cities, towns and places on this map

• Benham Falls
• Sunriver
• Deschutes National Forest
• Deschutes River
• Lava Butte
• Upper Deschutes River
• Little Deschutes River
• Sportsman’s Park
• Tumalo Creek
• Becker’s Landing
• River Bend
• Nauvoo Lake
• South Twin Lake
• North Twin Lake
• Various trails and roads indicated in the area

Historical context & cartographic details

• Produced by the US Geological Survey, this historical 1:24,000 topographical map shows Sunriver, Oregon and the surrounding area.
• Created in 1963 and published in 1981.
• Published by the US Geological Survey (USGS), known for its extensive mapping and geological surveys across the United States.
• The map employs color coding to represent different elevations and land uses.
• Intricate contour lines illustrate topography, elevation changes, mountain ridges, valleys, and the natural landscape.
• The map reflects land use and natural features as they were in the 1960s, which may differ from current landscapes due to development, conservation efforts, and environmental change.

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