1958 Map of Seattle

About this map

Puget Sound and its complex network of inlets and islands form the heart of this regional study, which captures the Puget Sound Lowlands and Olympic Peninsula during a period of massive suburban expansion. The infrastructure of the Cold War and mid-century industry is evident, from the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard at Bremerton to McChord Air Force Base near Tacoma. The burgeoning highway system, including the newly established Interstate 5 corridor, links major centers like Seattle, Everett, and Olympia, while older rail lines like the Milwaukee Road and Northern Pacific RR still navigate the river valleys. To the west, the rugged wilderness of Olympic National Park stands in sharp contrast to the dense residential growth appearing around Lake Washington and Bellevue. This map provides a clear record of the region's mid-1970s landscape, just as the Eastside was becoming a major metropolitan hub.