1956 Map of Mount Vernon

About this map

The Skagit River dominates this mid-century landscape, winding through a complex network of sloughs and islands including Hart Island and Fir Island. In the mid-1950s, Mount Vernon and Burlington serve as the primary hubs of activity, linked by the Great Northern railroad and the scenic Chuckanut Drive. The map documents a transition in local education, showing the Skagit Valley Jr College campus alongside numerous neighborhood institutions like Washington School, Lincoln Sch, and Jefferson School. Industrial and agricultural infrastructure is evident in the County Farm, various gravel pits, and the Highway Patrol Microwave Sta atop Little Mtn. The detailed drainage of the Skagit valley is meticulously recorded, from Gages Slough to the prominent Barney Lake, illustrating how the waterway shaped the settlement patterns of towns like Skagit City and Sterling.