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1953 Map of Rainier

Name: 1953 Topographic Map of Rainier
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1981
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1981

About this map

The industrial corridor of the Columbia River dominates this mid-century landscape, where the bustling Port of Longview and massive Sawmill facilities on the Washington side contrast with the steep, wooded hills of Columbia County, Oregon. On the northern bank, the U S Naval Reserve Training Center and Kelso Municipal Airport mark the post-war development of the region, while the Interstate Toll Bridge links the economies of Longview and Rainier.

Away from the riverbank, the map reveals a more rural, generational topography. Early educational and community sites are documented by the Fernhill Sch (Aban'd) and Hudson Cem, while the small settlement of Goble and the Reuben (site) sit along the Burlington Northern rail line. This survey captures a moment when the river-based industry and rail networks like the Union Pacific were the primary drivers of growth for the riverside towns of Prescott, Trojan, and Lindbergh.