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1956 Map of Destruction Island

Name: 1956 Topographic Map of Destruction Island
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1964
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1964

About this map

The rocky coastline of the Olympic Peninsula is defined by offshore hazards and timber-dense watersheds in this mid-century survey. Destruction Island, featuring its isolated Lighthouse, stands as a prominent landmark off the coast from Ruby Beach. The landscape is a mix of protected wilderness and indigenous lands, including portions of the Olympic National Park, the Hoh Indian Reservation to the north, and the Quinault Indian Reservation to the south.

Inland, the network of water includes the Hoh River and the Quinault River, with many smaller tributaries like Steamboat Creek and Kalaloch Creek carving through the terrain. Evidence of local infrastructure is found at the Kalaloch Ranger Station and the Queets-Clearwater School, while the rivers are marked by dangerous passage points such as Skookumchuck Rapids and Barker Rapids. This map documents a period when the coastal highway and various beach trails, such as Beach Trail 5, provided the primary access to this Pacific front.