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1915 Map of Eola

Name: 1915 Topographic Map of Eola
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1915
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1915

About this map

The Willamette River carves through this 1915 survey, separating the burgeoning city of Salem from the hills and orchards of West Salem. This period is characterized by the convergence of major state institutions and transit networks, including the Southern Pacific Railroad and the Oregon Electric Railway. The map reveals the extensive footprint of state facilities such as the State Insane Asylum, State Penitentiary, and the State Feeble Minded Asylum, illustrating the city's role as a regional administrative hub.

Beyond the urban core, the landscape is dotted with early educational and communal landmarks like Peanut School, Brush College, and the Poor Farm. Local transport relied on river features like Beadsleys Bar and Keizer Rapids, while family-named settlements like Chaplin Corners and Grabenhorst Corners suggest the rural social structure of Polk and Marion counties before modern development reshaped the valley floor.