1957 Map of White Salmon

About this map

White Salmon and Bingen anchor the Washington side of the Columbia River in this mid-1950s survey, a period when the river served as a vital industrial artery between the Spokane Portland and Seattle and Union Pacific railroads. The landscape is defined by its dramatic elevation changes, from the river level at Bonneville Normal Pool Level 72 Feet to the heights of Burdoin Mountain and Sevenmile Hill. The map documents the rural social infrastructure of the time, noting gathering places like the Lyle Grange and Mill Creek Grange, alongside educational landmarks such as Pine Grove Sch. Settlement patterns follow the river and its tributaries, with the town of Mosier and Lyle situated near key river crossings and canyons like Blackburn Canyon. The area south of the river shows a more dispersed agricultural footprint, including Ketchum Ranch and the flatlands of Government Flat and Oak Flat.