1901 Map of Chelan

About this map

Lake Chelan dominates this turn-of-the-century landscape, carving deep into the Chelan National Forest and defining the western border of the Wapato Indian Reservation. The map captures the region’s early development as a hub for both transportation and industry, with the Great Northern Railway following the river valley through Cashmere. The stark transition from the high peaks of Stormy Mt and Tyee Mt to the grid-patterned agriculture surrounding Waterville illustrates the diverse economy of North Central Washington at this time. Early lakeside settlements like Lakeside and Chelan are visible alongside smaller landings and junctions such as Orondo and Corbaley on the Columbia. Genealogists will find interest in the numerous canyons and creeks, including McKenzie Canyon and Potato Cr, which hint at early homesteading and resource extraction before later 20th-century developments changed the local geography.