1953 Map of Rochester

About this map

The Chehalis Indian Reservation occupies the fertile lowlands where the Black River meets the Chehalis River, a landscape defined by its river-bottom agriculture and intricate rail network in the early 1950s. This survey captures a moment when the regional economy was heavily reliant on both timber and transit, evidenced by the extensive Capitol State Forest to the north and the converging lines of the Northern Pacific, Union Pacific, and the Milwaukee Road. Local history is deeply embedded in labels like the Fort Henness Site and the State Sch for Girls near Grand Mound. From the timber town of Bordeaux to the farming community at Michigan Hill, the map details a transition from the high peaks of Capitol Peak and Larch Mtn down to the open expanses of Baker Prairie and Grand Mound Prairie.