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1949 Map of Cathlamet Bay

Name: 1949 Topographic Map of Cathlamet Bay
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1955
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1955

About this map

Cathlamet Bay and its complex archipelago dominate this mid-century coastal survey, revealing a landscape defined by tidal flats and shifting channels. The Columbia River forms the northern boundary, where numerous islands such as McGregor Island and Russian Island create a maze of waterways including the Woody Island Channel and Prairie Channel. Along the southern shore, the Spokane Portland and Seattle railroad and the Columbia River Highway serve as the primary transit corridors, linking the riverside communities and early educational centers like Fern Hill Sch and Svensen Sch.

Human modification of the environment is evident at Mott Island, where land reclamation efforts were underway during the 1940s. The inland topography south of Svensen rises into higher ground drained by Eskeline Creek and Marys Creek, illustrating the transition from the marshy lowlands of the John Day River to the upland forests. This era captures the region's reliance on both the river economy and the evolving highway system for local industry and settlement.