1950 Map of Kirkland

About this map

Lake Washington defines the western edge of this mid-century survey, its shoreline dotted with the developing residential and institutional hubs of Kirkland and Houghton. The landscape is a mix of wooded uplands like Norway Hill and active transit corridors, most notably the Northern Pacific railroad threading through the Sammamish River valley past Redmond. This era shows a community balancing recreation and industry, with several courses including Juanita Golf Course appearing alongside the U S Naval Air Station at Sand Pt. Local infrastructure for a growing population is evident in the numerous educational sites like Central Sch and Collins Sch, while the Fairfax Sanitarium and the sprawling Bridle Trail State Park occupy significant tracts of land before the dense suburbanization of later decades.