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1940 Map of La Center

Name: 1940 Topographic Map of La Center
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1940
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1940

About this map

Lewis River meanders across this pre-war landscape, connecting the high waters of Lake Merwin in the northeast to the settlements of Woodland and La Center. The area is defined by a network of small agricultural and timber communities, including Battleground, Ridgefield, and Cherry Grove. The 91st Observation Squadron provided aerial photography for this 1939-1940 study, capturing the early alignment of the Pacific Highway and localized infrastructure like the State Fish Hatchery near Etna.

Educational and social hubs are clearly marked, such as Columbia Academy in Meadow Glade and several rural schools including Ariel School and Cedar Valley School. The presence of many named corners—Dollar Corner, Scotton Corner, and King Corner—points to a landscape where local navigation was oriented around specific farmsteads and road intersections. For the researcher, this era shows the region before major suburban expansion, with clearly defined rural boundaries and landmarks like Lewis River County Park.