1975 Map of Centralia NW

About this map

Centralia and its surrounding river valleys are captured in this 1975 orthophotograph, which provides a high-resolution aerial view of the landscape before major late-century expansion. The town site is bounded by the winding Skookumchuck River to the north and the broader Chehalis River to the west, creating a corridor of development that stretches south toward Chehalis. This imagery highlights the transition from the concentrated residential blocks and industrial zones of the urban centers to the open agricultural fields and wooded hillsides of Fords Prairie. The orthophoto format allows for the precise study of mid-1970s land use, showing the established rail lines, road networks, and river meanders that shaped the growth of these Lewis County communities during a period of steady Pacific Northwest development.