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1957 Map of Salem

Name: 1957 Topographic Map of Salem
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1959
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1959

About this map

The Willamette River anchors this mid-century view of the Oregon state capital and its surrounding agricultural valley. The urban center of Salem is dense with institutional history, shown through the footprints of the State Capitol, the State Penitentiary, and the State Hospital. Development radiates from the riverbank, with residential neighborhoods such as Keizer and Liberty taking shape alongside schools like the Jason Lee Sch and Highland Sch.

Outside the city, the landscape is a patchwork of ridges and lowlands, from the Eola Hills in the north to the American Bottom in the south. Transportation networks of the Southern Pacific and Oregon Electric railroads intersect the valley, connecting outlying communities like Independence and Rickreall. Local history is preserved in several burial grounds, including the Pioneer Cemetery and Eola Cem, while McNary Field reflects the growing importance of regional aviation during this era.