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1959 Map of Ferndale

Name: 1959 Topographic Map of Ferndale
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1961
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1961

About this map

The Eel River delta and its complex network of sloughs dominate this 1959 coastal survey, revealing a landscape defined by tidal movement and agricultural reclamation. Ferndale stands as the primary settlement on the southern edge of the flats, while the surrounding marshlands are partitioned into islands like Cannibal Island and Cock Robin Island. This era shows a community deeply tied to both the land and sea, evidenced by the numerous family-named properties such as Fulmor Ranch and Occidental Ranch.

Navigation and maritime history are prominent along the coast, from the Table Bluff Lighthouse Coast Guard Res in the north to the Wreck of Northerner Historical Marker near Centerville Beach. The map details the transition from the low-lying Eel River basin to the higher elevations of Bear River Ridge and Sugarloaf Mtn. Researchers will find significant local infrastructure, including the Naval Oceanography Station and rural institutions like the Island Sch and St Marys Church.