1961 Map of Tacoma South

About this map

Tacoma and its southern suburbs appear in this 1961 record of industrial and military expansion in Pierce County. The landscape is dominated by the vast grounds of Fort Lewis Military Reservation and Mc Chord Air Force Base, while the Puyallup River valley serves as a corridor for the Northern Pacific, Union Pacific, and Great Northern railroads. The map highlights the educational and cultural infrastructure of the mid-century, from the campus of Pacific Lutheran University in Parkland to the Mary Mount Military Academy. Settlement patterns follow the Pacific Highway corridor, connecting the northern urban center to rural communities like Elk Plain and Graham. The survey also details community spaces such as Cheney Stadium, the Fairgrounds in Puyallup, and several small family burial sites including Henry Smith Cem and Jeschke Cem, providing a deep look at the local geography before suburban infill reached these outer reaches.