1961 Map of Portland

About this map

The Columbia River and Willamette River converge in this mid-century portrait of a growing Pacific Northwest corridor. The map details the dense neighborhoods of Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington, including the expansive footprint of the Portland International Airport and the Vancouver Barracks. This era captures the transition of the riverfront, where massive industrial operations like the Aluminum Plant sit alongside residential expansion in areas like McLoughlin Heights and Hazel Dell. A notable historical detail is the notation of the Vanport City (Site), marking the location of the community destroyed by the 1948 flood. The region's transport network is well-represented, from the Portland Union Station hub and multiple rail lines like the Union Pacific RR to the emergent Banfield Expressway, illustrating how the metropolitan area began to stitch together its suburban outskirts during the post-war boom.