1956 Map of Copalis Crossing

About this map

The Humptulips River meanders toward North Bay in this mid-century portrait of coastal Grays Harbor County, revealing a landscape defined by tidelands and timber-era infrastructure. The Northern Pacific railroad serves as the region's backbone, connecting small settlements like Copalis Crossing, Wilderness, and Tulips along its route. The presence of several Cranberry Bogs near Saddle Hill and Kurtz Slough points to the specialized agriculture that took root in the low-lying wet soils behind the coast. Along the river, numerous Slough systems including Jessie Slough and Campbell Slough weave through a terrain marked by prominent heights like Langley Hill. The map documents the intricate transition from riverine woods to the expansive Tidal Flat at the bay's edge, where navigational markers like Piling and named channels like East Channel and Grass Creek Channel guided local watercraft through the mud and silt.