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1961 Map of Hillsboro

Name: 1961 Topographic Map of Hillsboro
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1972
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1972

About this map

The confluence of the Columbia River and Willamette River defines this 1961 landscape, where the agricultural flats of the Tualatin Valley meet the industrial and riparian corridors of the Pacific Northwest. Sauvie Island dominates the northeast, featuring Sturgeon Lake and the winding Gilbert River, while the Multnomah Channel separates the island's wildlife habitats from the rail-heavy shoreline at Linnton. Inland, the transition from rural farming to suburban growth is evident in settlements like Bethany and Orenco, with several landmark schools and churches serving these developing communities.

Local history is deeply embedded in the terrain, marked by the Meeks Land Claim Historical Marker near the West Union Ch. Transportation networks including the S P & S Ry and the Oregon Electric Ry trace the industrial backbone of the region, connecting Hillsboro to the shipping hubs along the river. From the heights of Skyline Ridge down to the lowlands of McKay Creek, the map captures a specific era of Oregon's development before the full expansion of the Portland metropolitan area.