1953 Map of Wildcat Lake

About this map

Gold Mountain and Green Mtn anchor the high ground of the Kitsap Peninsula in this early 1950s survey, where the landscape is defined by its drainage basins and isolated settlements. Small communities like Camp Union, Hite Center, and Crosby are scattered along the western slopes, connected by the Tin Mine Road and Elfendale Pass Road. The hydrology is remarkably complex, featuring a series of glacial lakes including Wildcat Lake, Mission Lake, and Tahuya Lake that feed the Tahuya River and Big Beef Creek. This era reveals a working landscape of resource extraction and recreation, evidenced by several quarries, the Barney White Ranch, and a Boy Scout Camp near McCaslin Marsh. The presence of the Navy Yard City Canal and the Belfair Siding near the southern border highlights the importance of regional transportation and infrastructure to these interior Kitsap communities.