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1955 Map of Vernonia

Name: 1955 Topographic Map of Vernonia
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1957
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1957

About this map

The Nehalem River winds through this mid-century landscape of logging and small-scale agriculture, anchoring the community of Vernonia. This 1955 survey illustrates a region in transition, where educational centers like the Natal School and Beaver Cr School are already marked as abandoned, reflecting the consolidation of rural districts. The town of Vernonia serves as the industrial hub, evidenced by the large Mill Pond and the presence of the S P & S railroad, which provided vital transport for the timber industry.

High points such as Baker Point Lookout and Mansfield Lookout reveal the ongoing importance of fire observation across the timbered ridges of Columbia and Washington counties. Smaller settlements like Pittsburg and Treharne dot the riverbanks, while the Pioneer Cem north of town provides a genealogical link to the area's earliest residents. The terrain is deeply etched by a network of drainages, including Pebble Creek, Rock Creek, and Rock Creek, supporting a dispersed network of rural homesteads and quarries.