1956 Map of Forest Grove

About this map

Forest Grove and Cornelius anchor the southern plains of Washington County in the mid-1950s, a landscape defined by the intersection of the Tualatin River and a dense network of early rail lines. The presence of Pacific University in the heart of Forest Grove highlights the area's long-standing cultural importance, while rural life is centered around community nodes like Verboort, Banks, and the small settlement of Kansas City. The transit infrastructure of the era is remarkably preserved on this sheet, showing the routes of the Southern Pacific, the S P & S, and the Oregon Electric Line alongside major arterial roads like the Wolf Creek Highway. To the north and west, the terrain rises into the foothills of the Coast Range, where landmarks like Green Mtn and Bald Mtn overlook timbered canyons and headwater creeks such as Hares Creek and Lousignont Creek. Local history is deeply embedded in the map's fine details, from the Visitation Ch in Verboort to numerous rural schools and cemeteries like Union Point Cemetery.