2014 Map of Mission Bottom

About this map

Willamette River bars and sloughs dominate this 2014 survey of the fertile French Prairie region north of Salem. The landscape is a complex network of active and former river channels, featuring numerous named bars such as McCall Bar, Darrow Bar, and Wheatland Bar. The community of Wheatland serves as a historic crossing point, linked to the river via Wheatland Ferry Rd. To the west, the elevation rises into the Eola Hills and Jerusalem Hill, where numerous agricultural catchments like Schindler Reservoir and Stephens Reservoir support local farms. The southern portion of the map captures the northward expansion of Keizer and the edge of Chemawa, illustrating the transition from dense suburban development to the river-bottom agriculture of Mission Bottom. Genealogists may find interest in the documented locations of Hopewell Cem and Claggett Cem near the historic settlements.