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1953 Map of Mukilteo

Name: 1953 Topographic Map of Mukilteo
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1955
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1955

About this map

Paine Field and its accompanying Air Force Base dominate the landscape of Snohomish County in the early 1950s, serving as a massive aviation hub just south of Mukilteo. This era finds the coastline shaped by the Great Northern railroad, which tracks along the eastern shore of Possession Sound past communities like Edgewater and Darlington. The map captures the vital maritime connection between the mainland and the eastern edge of Whidbey Island, where a Ferry link joins the village of Clinton to the mainland at Elliot Point.

Beyond the military and transport infrastructure, the sheet records the local scale of mid-century life. Small settlements such as Columbia Beach and Glendale dot the island shore, while mainland landmarks like the Lighthouse at Mukilteo State Park and the Fairmount School provide anchor points for genealogists. The topography is defined by deep incisions such as Big Gulch and Powder Mill Gulch, illustrating the transition from industrial shoreline to the inland residential and military complexes.