1916 Map of Arlington

About this map

The Columbia River serves as the dominant geographic and economic spine of this region, separating the high plateaus of Klickitat County, Washington, from Gilliam County, Oregon. In the early twentieth century, this corridor was a vital transportation hub where the Spokane Portland and Seattle Ry and the Oregon-Washington Railroad & Navigation Co paralleled the water. Settlement is concentrated along these rails at points like Arlington, Blalock, and Roosevelt. To the south, the Oregon Trail cuts across the arid landscape near Shutler and Turner Butte, tracing the paths of earlier migrations. The map reveals a rural society structured around local education, with numerous isolated schoolhouses such as Oak Grove School and Big Horn School serving ranching outposts like Stegeman Ranch and Sixprong Ranch situated among the high ridges of Alder Ridge.