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1961 Map of Tacoma North

Name: 1961 Topographic Map of Tacoma North
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1962
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1962

About this map

The industrial waterfront of Tacoma and the southern reaches of Vashon Island anchor this early 1960s survey of the central Puget Sound. The map documents a dense grid of schools and institutions including the Univ of Puget Sound, Stadium High Sch, and Wright Seminary near the heart of the city. To the north, the maritime character of the region is defined by the Dash Point Lighthouse and Browns Point Lighthouse, which flank the entrance to Commencement Bay.

Transport and industry are heavily concentrated along the Puyallup River delta, where a complex network of artificial channels like the Port Industrial Waterway and Hylebos Waterway served the region's shipping economy. The presence of the Northern Pacific railroad and numerous grain elevators underscores the area's role as a major Pacific Northwest logistics hub. Across the water, smaller settlements like Dockton and Manzanita on Maury Island offer a contrast to the urban development of Old Tacoma.