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1969 Map of Salem West

Name: 1969 Topographic Map of Salem West
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1987
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1987

About this map

The Willamette River defines the heart of this landscape, separating the urban core of Salem and Keizer from the hills to the west. While the city center is dense with institutional landmarks like the State Capitol, Willamette University, and the Oregon State Penitentiary, the west bank transitions into the orchards and ridges of the Eola Hills. Notable geographic features such as Minto Island and Browns Island sit within the river’s curves, highlighting the complex slough and bar system that historically shaped the capital city's waterfront.

Genealogists and local historians can find a wealth of specific local data, from the Pioneer Cem and Lee Mission Cem to neighborhood schools like Brush College Sch and Popcorn Sch. The rail infrastructure of the Southern Pacific and Oregon Electric lines underscores Salem's role as a primary mid-valley transport hub during the late 1960s, a period captured just as suburban expansion began to reach the Salem Hills.