1954 Map of Sauvie Island

About this map

Sauvie Island emerges as a complex landscape of alluvial plains and managed waterways in the mid-1950s, defined by its position at the confluence of the Columbia River and the Willamette River. The interior of the island is dominated by the expansive Sturgeon Lake and a network of sloughs such as Marquam Slough and Ash Slough, which are bounded by an extensive system of levees. On the island's western edge, the Multnomah Channel separates the lowlands from the rising slopes of the Tualatin Mountains. Transport and industry are concentrated along this corridor, where the Spokane Portland and Seattle RR serves riverside settlements like Burlington and Rafton. The map documents the rural infrastructure of the era, including the Sauvie Island School and several landings such as Chapman Landing, which highlight the area's historical reliance on river-based commerce and agriculture.