1957 Map of Stayton

About this map

The North Santiam River flows along the southern edge of this Marion County landscape, anchoring a region defined by agricultural valleys and the prominent Waldo Hills. In the late 1950s, the eastern outskirts of Salem show a mix of institutional and rural character, featuring the State Hospital Farm, the State Penitentiary Annex, and the Chemewa Indian Sch. The rail-based economy of the mid-century is evident in the path of the Southern Pacific railroad, which links several small agricultural shipping points like Pratum, Geer, and Aumsville. Numerous rural schools, including Central Howell Sch and Evergreen School, are scattered across the terrain, reflecting the distributed nature of the local farming communities before late-twentieth-century consolidation. The map also captures significant local landmarks such as Parrish Gap and several family and community burial grounds like Mt Hope Cemetery.