1896 Map of Coos Bay

About this map

Empire and Marshfield serve as the primary hubs of commerce on Coos Bay during the mid-1890s, when the regional economy was tied inextricably to its labyrinth of tidal sloughs and river systems. The map reveals an intricate network of waterways like Isthmus Slough and South Slough, which provided essential transit for timber and coal before the arrival of modern highways. To the south, the Coquille River valley supports a string of riverfront settlements including Randolph, Prosper, and Parkersburg, leading to the coastal port of Bandon at the mouth of the river. Inland, the importance of resource extraction is evident at Beaver Hill and Coaledo, while smaller farming and logging outposts like Arago and Myrtle Point dot the interior landscape. The presence of a Light at Cape Arago and Coquille Pt highlights the maritime hazards faced by vessels navigating this jagged Pacific shoreline.