1953 Map of Monroe

About this map

The Monroe township and its agricultural outskirts come into sharp focus in this mid-century study, where the town serves as a crossroads for the Great Northern and C M St P & P railroads. To the west, the State Reformatory and the adjacent State Reformatory Farm No 2 occupy a significant portion of the valley floor along the Skykomish River. The map captures a landscape defined by water and low-lying marshes, evidenced by numerous small lakes and swamps like Lake Hannan, King Lake, and Harts Swamp tucked into the rising timberland south of the river. Evidence of local industry and social infrastructure is present throughout, from the Evergreen State Fairgrounds and Monroe Memorial Park Cem in the north to the isolated McCauley Falls and the Pump House along Cherry Creek near the border with King County.