1961 Map of Hillsboro

About this map

Hillsboro serves as the central hub for this mid-century portrait of Washington County, Oregon, revealing a landscape defined by the intersection of rail infrastructure and valley agriculture. The map documents the extensive rail networks of the Burlington Northern, Southern Pacific, and Oregon Electric RR which shaped the early development of outlying settlements like Orenco, Sewell, and Witch Hazel. A significant historical landmark, the Historical Marker Joseph L Meek Land Claim, anchors the northern reaches, while the transition toward modern infrastructure is evident in the Hillsboro Airport and the expanding residential footprints. This survey captures a moment of balance between rural heritage, seen in the many scattered cemeteries like Tualatin Plains Cem, and the encroaching urban growth from the east near Beaverton.