Loading map...

1953 Map of Center

Name: 1953 Topographic Map of Center
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1973
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1973

About this map

Chimacum Valley and the surrounding forested hills of the Olympic Peninsula are documented here in the early 1950s. The landscape is defined by its freshwater systems and small upland settlements, including the historic community of Center and the railroad stop at Discovery Junction. At the northern edge, the waters of Port Discovery meet the shore near Fairmont, where the C M St P & P railroad line tracks along the coast.

Interpreting the 1951 aerial photography reveals a transition from tidal waters to interior resource lands, marked by numerous small bodies of water like Gibbs Lake, Beausite Lake, and Tarboo Lake. The rural social fabric of the era is evident in the presence of the Dabob School and the network of logging and access roads. Large infrastructure projects, such as a major pipe line and a Gaging Sta on Chimacum Creek, reflect the mid-century development of water and utility management in Jefferson County.