1953 Map of Shelton

About this map

Shelton serves as the industrial and logistical anchor for this region of Mason County, where the southern reaches of Puget Sound meet the timberlands of the Capitol State Forest. The map illustrates a landscape defined by deep-water inlets including Oakland Bay, Hammersley Inlet, and Skookum Inlet, which facilitated the transport of timber and maritime commerce. The presence of the Naval Auxiliary Air Station and a Naval Reservation highlights the strategic importance of the shoreline during the mid-century. Away from the saltwater, small agrarian and timber communities like Dayton and Kamilche are connected by the Northern Pacific railroad and early thoroughfares like Matlock Road. Local social life is evidenced by Reed HS, Grange Hall, and the Boy Scout Camp near Summit Lake, while the numerous sawmills and gravel pits suggest a resource-driven economy transitioning into the post-war era.