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1918 Map of Samish Lake

Name: 1918 Topographic Map of Samish Lake
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1947
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1947

About this map

Lookout Mountain and Chuckanut Mountain dominate the northern landscape of this 1918 survey, defining a topography of steep ridges and deep glacial lakes. The settlement pattern reflects an early twentieth-century economy tied to timber and maritime transport, anchored by Bellingham in the north and the agricultural flats surrounding Edison and Bow to the south. Along the coast of Samish Bay, Blanchard Landing and the Northern Pacific railroad indicate the vital links between shoreline resources and inland markets.

Further east, industrial operations like the Alger Shingle Mill and Blue Canyon illustrate the era's reliance on localized extraction. A dense network of rural infrastructure is visible through numerous neighborhood landmarks, including the Belfast School, Sunnyside School, and the State Fish Hatchery near Samish Lake. The map captures the region before extensive highway development, showing the original routes of the Pacific Highway and specialized transport lines like the Traction and the Puget Sound and Baker River railroad.