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1959 Map of Yelm

Name: 1959 Topographic Map of Yelm
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1968
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1968

About this map

The Nisqually River and Deschutes River frame this mid-century portrait of south Puget Sound prairie and timberlands. The settlement at Yelm serves as a central hub, where the Great Northern and Northern Pacific rails intersect, supporting an economy built on agriculture and timber. To the west, the Rainier Training Area marks the military presence near Rainier, while the Nisqually Indian Res Bdy defines the northern reaches near Roy.

Genealogists and local historians can locate many family-named landmarks and rural outposts, including Burnham Ranch, Reichel Ranch, and the Christy Ch. The landscape is dotted with numerous small lakes such as Lake Lawrence and Lake St Clair, which, along with the Centralia Canal, illustrate the region's complex water management. The southern portion of the quadrangle transitions into higher elevations like Bald Hill and Clam Mtn, showing the extent of the early Logging Railroad networks that once penetrated the deep woods.