1897 Map of Tacoma

About this map

Puyallup Indian Reservation and the Muckleshoot Indian Reservation anchor the central landscape of this late-nineteenth-century timber and land classification study. Surveyed by Henry Gannett, the data reveals a region in the midst of heavy industrial transformation, distinguishing between merchantable forests and areas already cut or burned. Coastal settlements like Des Moines and Adelaide sit along the eastern shore of Puget Sound Admiralty Inlet, while inland, the rail-driven economy is evident in the coal-mining corridors near Black Diamond, Wilkeson, and Carbonado. The transit network of the Northern Pacific Railroad connects the bustling port of Tacoma to smaller agricultural and timber outposts such as Kent, O'Brien, and Maple Valley. The map also captures the intricate geography of the islands, including Vashon Island and Maury Island, separated by Quartermaster Harbor, before the heavy urbanization of the Puget Sound region.