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1948 Map of Steilacoom

Name: 1948 Topographic Map of Steilacoom
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1955
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1955

About this map

Steilacoom serves as a historic coastal anchor in this late 1940s landscape, positioned along Cormorant Passage where the Northern Pacific railroad tracks hug the shoreline. The region shows a significant military and institutional presence, with the expansive Fort Lewis Military Reservation and Mc Chord Air Force Base dominating the southern portion of the sheet. Between these installations and the residential growth of Fircrest and Lakewood Center lie several important local institutions, including the State Hospital for the Insane and the Veterans Hospital.

Significant water bodies like American Lake, Steilacoom Lake, and Gravelly Lake are surrounded by named groves such as Norman Woods and Goddard Woods. This era is characterized by the transition from rural woodlands to suburban hubs, evidenced by schools like Clover Park High School and recreational landmarks like the Tacoma Country Golf Club. The interior topography is marked by distinct hills, including Worsham Hill and Lister Hill, while Fox Island sits across the Carr Inlet to the west.