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1953 Map of Cumberland

Name: 1953 Topographic Map of Cumberland
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1969
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1969

About this map

The Green River carves a deep, winding path through this corner of King County, defining a landscape shaped by coal and timber transit. In the mid-twentieth century, the region served as a critical rail corridor, with the Northern Pacific and the Chicago Milwaukee St Paul and Pacific railroads threading between the uplands of Sugarloaf Mountain and Enumclaw Mtn. Several small settlements, including Cumberland, Kanaskat, and Ravensdale, anchor the rail lines, while industrial activity is evidenced by a Coal deposit and various pits.

Water management is a central theme, as the northern portion of the map is dominated by the protected Cedar River Watershed. Numerous small lakes like Deep Lake and Retreat Lake dot the basin, situated between ridges that carried vital infrastructure like the Pipe Line. The map also captures specialized land uses such as the Fish Hatchery and a Water Tank at Palmer, providing a detailed look at the rural industrial character of the foothills during the postwar era.