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1961 Map of Sauvie Island

Name: 1961 Topographic Map of Sauvie Island
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1979
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1979

About this map

Sauvie Island emerges as a complex hydraulic landscape where the Columbia River and Multnomah Channel diverge. This early 1960s environment, with revisions through the mid-1970s, depicts a rural island interior defined by the winding Gilbert River and the expansive Sturgeon Lake. The map details the intricate drainage system of sloughs and holes, including Wagonwheel Hole and Ash Slough, which support the island’s agricultural and natural character.

Along the western bank of the channel, the Burlington Northern railroad serves small rail-side communities like Burlington and Holbrook. The presence of the Sauvie Island Sch and the Holbrook Sch highlights the local infrastructure of the era, while family-named landmarks like Reeder Point and Knapp Landing anchor the shoreline. Dikes and pumping stations illustrate the ongoing efforts to manage the river's influence on this fertile alluvial plain.