1917 Map of Salem

About this map

The Willamette River defines the landscape of this region during the early twentieth century, winding between Polk and Marion counties. The state capital of Salem sits at a transition point where the Southern Pacific railroad and early highways like the Pacific Highway meet the river's edge. Notable institutional footprints of the era are clearly marked, including the State Institution for Feeble-Minded, the Oregon State Training School, and the Poor Farm School for the Deaf. To the west, the landscape is dotted with smaller communities and agricultural hubs such as Monmouth, Independence, and Eola. The river's influence on commerce and transit is evident through numerous bars and landings like Wigrich Landing, Judson Landing, and Wells Landing, which served the local economy before the full modernization of the regional road network.