1954 Map of Bridal Veil

About this map

Columbia River gorge architecture and the mid-century transportation corridor dominate this landscape where the Skamania Co Multnomah Co line splits the water. The map documents an era when the Spokane Portland and Seattle Railway and the Union Pacific Railroad hugged opposite banks, serving riverside settlements like Warrendale, Dodson, and Prindle. The verticality of the gorge is evident in the cluster of famous cataracts including Multnomah Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, and Latourell Falls, many of which were accessible via the Old Columbia River Highway. To the north, the terrain rises toward the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, where resource extraction and forest management are marked by the Last Chance Mine and the Washougal Ranger Sta. Prominent monoliths like Beacon Rock and high points such as Larch Mtn and Silver Star Mtn define the horizon above the industrial river valley.