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1918 Map of Samish Lake

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

USGS Topo · Published 1918

About this map

Samish Lake and the southern reaches of Bellingham dominate this coastal survey, where the rugged elevations of Chuckanut Mountain and Lookout Mountain meet the saltwater of Samish Bay. The landscape reflects a turn-of-the-century transition from timber extraction to agricultural settlement, evidenced by the Alger Shingle Mill and the emerging network of valley farms. Industry and transit are tightly linked here; the Great Northern Railway and Northwestern Traction lines trace the coastline and inland valleys, connecting maritime points like Blanchard Landing to inland hubs such as Edison.

Resource management is already established by 1917, noted by the presence of a State Fish Hatchery near Reed Lake. For those researching local family history, the map preserves the locations of numerous rural institutions, including Henry School, Pierson School, and Belfast School. From the mining site at Blue Canyon to the logging camps like Manleys Camp, the sheet documents the early economic foundations of Skagit and Whatcom counties.