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1949 Map of Shilshole Bay

Name: 1949 Topographic Map of Shilshole Bay
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1969
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1969

About this map

Fort Lawton Military Reservation anchors the western point of this coastal landscape, overseeing the entrance to the Lake Washington Ship Canal. The map captures a pivotal maritime corridor where the Great Northern railroad skirts the shoreline of Puget Sound, connecting industrial hubs like Interbay and the Salmon Bay Terminal to the growing residential districts of Ballard and Magnolia Bluff. This 1949 survey, with revisions from 1968, documents the dense urban grid extending toward Crown Hill and Sunset Hill, contrasted with the open waters of Shilshole Bay.

Infrastructure is highly detailed, showing the Chittenden Locks and the complex of piers including Pier 90 and Pier 91 at Smith Cove. Across the sound, the Port Madison Indian Reservation and Bainbridge Island appear, linked by the Seattle-Port Angeles-Victoria Ferry route. Local neighborhood life is reflected in the numerous schools and playgrounds, such as Loyal Heights Sch and Magnolia Playground, marking the mid-century expansion of Seattle.