1908 Map of Blalock Island

About this map

The Columbia River forms a massive central corridor through this landscape, acting as both a natural boundary and a vital transportation artery. On the north bank, the Spokane Portland and Seattle railway runs past Paterson, while the south bank is serviced by the Oregon-Washington Railroad and Navigation Co. Significant islands like Blalock Island and Thanksgiving Island sit within the river's flow before modern damming altered these shorelines. Inland, the terrain is defined by basalt ridges and isolated buttes such as Golgotha Butte and Ella Butte. A network of water sources, including Wells Spr and Taylor Spr, supported early travelers and local settlements like Morgan and Cecil. The presence of the Emigrant Road through Sand Hollow provides a clear link to the overland migration routes that shaped the settlement of the Pacific Northwest.