Maps of Washington (State) and the Pacific Northwest, 1863-1994
Predominant Dates: 1909-1975
The Maps of Washington (State) and the Pacific Northwest consist of historic and superseded maps depicting forest resources, geology, public lands and land use, hydroelectric projects, highways, and railroads in Washington and the Pacific Northwest region. The regional maps include Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and, in some cases, California and Wyoming.
ID: MAPS PNW
Extent: 3.5 cubic feet
Statement on Access: Collection is open for research.
Preferred Citation: Maps of Washington (State) and the Pacific Northwest (MAPS PNW), Oregon State University Special Collections and Archives Research Center, Corvallis, Oregon.
Acquisition Note:
These materials were transferred from the Oregon State University Libraries' maps collection to the Special Collections & Archives Research Center in 2014.
Container List
- Series 1: Forestry Maps, 1898-1975 Add to Shelf
- Series I consists of maps depicting forest lands, primarily in Washington, prepared by the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Soil Conservation Service, or State of Washington Division of Forestry. The maps provide information on land classification and forest types, including timber age, quality, and volume. The series includes several original maps prepared in 1898-1900 as well as photocopies of maps from that period. Maps depicting the site potential for western Washington and Oregon are also included.
- Extent: 25 maps
- Folder-Item 1.1: Forest Protection Districts for the State of Washington, 1950 Add to Shelf
- Prepared by State of Washington Division of Forestry.
- Folder-Item 7.1: Forest Type Map of Washington, 1936 Add to Shelf
- The color map is published on 4 sheets with one sheet for each quadrant of the state (northwest, northeast, southwest, and southeast). Two full sets plus a third copy of the southwest quadrant are included. Prepared by staff of the Pacific Northwest Forest Experiment Station. Depicts non-forest lands, non-commercial forest types, and timberland types. Approximate scale of 1:250,000.
- Extent: 9 sheets
- Folder-Item 7.2: Map of Washington Showing Classification of Lands, 1898 Add to Shelf
- Color map shows cut areas, timberless areas, burned areas, and six ranges of estimated board feet per acre. Prepared by George H. Plummer, F.G. Plummer, and J.H. Rankine and published with the U.S. Geological Survey Annual Report, Part V. Approximate scale 1:405,000.
- Folder-Item 1.2: Land Cover of Puget Sound, Washington from Landsat Digital Data, 1975 Add to Shelf
- Scale 1:250,000.
- Folder-Item 1.3: Washington, General Classification of Land According to its Capability for Use, 1949 Add to Shelf
- Scale 1:750,000. Color map depicts 4 classes of land suitable for cultivation and 4 classes not suitable for cultivation that may be appropriate for grazing or forest. The map also shows several zones with similar conservation problems. Prepared by the U.S. Soil Conservation Service; issued to accompany Washington State College Institute of Agricultural Sciences Popular Bulletin no. 200.
- Box-Folder 2.1 Add to Shelf
- Item 1: Land Classification of Seattle and Tacoma Quadrangles, 1900 Add to Shelf
- Color maps show areas of virgin timber and merchantable forests. Prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey; scale 1:125,000.
- Extent: 2 maps
- Item 2: Land Classification and Density of Standing Timber for Seattle and Tacoma Quadrangles, 1899 Add to Shelf
- Color photocopies; scale 1:125,000.
- Extent: 2 maps
- Item 3: Land Classification of Mount Rainier Forest Reserve, 1899 Add to Shelf
- Color photocopy; 1:250,000 scale.
- Item 4: Olympic Forest Reserve, 1899 Add to Shelf
- One map depicts land classification; a second shows cedar proportions; and a third shows red fir proportions. Color photocopies at 1:250,000 scale.
- Extent: 3 maps
- Item 5: Locations and Extent of Forest Reserves and National Parks in the Western United States, 1899 Add to Shelf
- Color photocopy.
- Item 6: Forest Types of the Douglas-fir region for western Washington and Oregon, undated Add to Shelf
- One sheet each for northwestern and southwestern Oregon and Washington. The maps show areas of "saw timber", second growth, recent cut-overs, and nonforest land. Scale of 1 inch = approximately 20 miles.
- Extent: 4 maps
- Item 7: Site Maps of Douglas fir regions for Western Washington and Oregon, 1946 Add to Shelf
- Scale 1 inch = 20 miles; one copy of Oregon map and two copies of the Washington map. These maps accompany Better Douglas Fir Forests from Better Seed, by Leo A. Isaac and are available online.
- Extent: 3 maps
- Series 2: Public Lands Maps, 1915-1986 Add to Shelf
- Series II consists of maps depicting public lands, primarily in Washington. Most of the maps depict National Forests and National Parks and provide information on recreational areas, roads, and trails. Maps of the Pacific Crest Trail in Washington and California depict trail lengths, proposed routes, and scenic and historical points along the trail. Of special note are several maps of Mount Rainier and plans and profiles of the Nisqually Glacier as well as maps of the Mount St. Helens area before the catastrophic May 1980 eruption. The maps were prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Forest Service, and Washington State Department of Natural Resources.
- Extent: 29 maps
- Folder-Item 1.4: Washington's Major Public Lands, 1973 Add to Shelf
- Prepared by State of Washington Department of Natural Resources; includes brochure text. Approximate scale 1 inch = 10 miles.
- Sub-Series 2: National Forests, 1936-1973 Add to Shelf
- The maps for individual national forests include text and photos for visitors.
- Folder-Item 1.5: Region 1, 1936 Add to Shelf
- Depicts national forests in Idaho, Montana and eastern Washington and Oregon. Approximate scale of 1 inch = 20 miles.
- Folder-Item 1.6: Colville, 1973 Add to Shelf
- Scale 1 inch = 2 miles.
- Folder-Item 1.7: Gifford Pinchot, 1965 Add to Shelf
- Approximate scale 1 inch = 4 miles.
- Folder-Item 1.8: Okanogan, 1960 Add to Shelf
- Approximate scale 1 inch = 4 miles.
- Folder-Item 1.9: Olympic, 1949 Add to Shelf
- Approximate scale 1 inch = 4 miles.
- Folder-Item 1.10: Snoqualmie, 1963-1965 Add to Shelf
- Approximate scale 1 inch = 2 miles.
- Extent: 3 sheets
- Folder-Item 1.11: Wenatchee, 1962 Add to Shelf
- Approximate scale 1 inch = 2 miles.
- Extent: 2 sheets
- Sub-Series 3: National Parks, 1915-1986 Add to Shelf
- Folder-Item 1.12: Lava Beds National Monument and Vicinity, 1936 Add to Shelf
- Includes descriptive text.
- Folder-Item 1.13: Olympic National Park, 1957 Add to Shelf
- Shaded relief map; 1:125,000 scale.
- Folder-Item 1.14: Mount Rainier, 1915-1966 Add to Shelf
- Includes several topographic maps of the park as well as plans of the Nisqually Glacier made in 1951, 1955, and 1966 and longitudinal profiles made in 1966. Shaded relief maps of Mount Rainier are also included. Topographic maps show the extent of glaciers on Mount Rainier.
- Extent: 7 sheets
- Box-Item 1.15: Mount St. Helens, 1968-1986 Add to Shelf
- Most of the maps depict the area before the catastrophic May 1980 eruption; one 1986 visitor map for the monument is included.
- Extent: 5 sheets
- Sub-Series 4: Pacific Crest Scenic Trail, circa 1960s - 1981 Add to Shelf
- Folder-Item 1.16: Map of entire Pacific Crest Trail, circa 1960s Add to Shelf
- Folder-Item 1.17: California Pacific Crest Trail Proposed Location, undated Add to Shelf
- Folder-Item 1.18: California Pacific Crest Trail, 1981 Add to Shelf
- At a 1: 720,000 scale.
- Folder-Item 1.19: Washington Pacific Crest Trail, 1974 Add to Shelf
- Series 3: Geologic Maps, 1936-1994 Add to Shelf
- Series III consists of geologic maps, primarily of Washington. A soil map of the Pacific Northwest and a map of earthquakes in Washington and Oregon are also included. The bulk of the maps were produced by the U.S. Geological Survey or the State of Washington. Most of the maps are color and include descriptions of the geologic formations.
- Extent: 13 maps
- Folder-Item 3.1: Preliminary Geologic Map of Washington, 1936 Add to Shelf
- Published by State of Washington, Department of Conservation and Development, Division of Geology; edited by George W. Stose. Two copies of the map are available.
- Folder-Item 3.2: Geologic Map of Washington, 1961 Add to Shelf
- Published by the State of Washington Division of Mines and Geology. Scale 1:500,000.
- Folder-Item 3.3: Geologic Map of Washington, 1969 Add to Shelf
- Compiled by A.E. Weissenborn of the U.S. Geological Survey. Scale 1:2,000,000.
- Folder-Item 3.4: Geologic Map Index of Washington, 1949 Add to Shelf
- Compiled by Leona Boardman; published by U.S. Geological Survey. Scale 1:750,000.
- Folder-Item 3.5: Tentative Correlation of the Named Geologic Units of Washington, 1934 Add to Shelf
- Compiled by M. Grace Wilmarth, Secretary of Committee on Geologic Names, U.S. Geological Survey.
- Extent: 2 sheets
- Folder-Item 3.6: Soil Map of the Pacific Northwest, undated Add to Shelf
- Includes Oregon, Washington, and Idaho; from Atlas of American Agriculture.
- Extent: 2 sheets
- Folder-Item 3.7: Areal and Structural Geologic Maps of Washington, undated Add to Shelf
- This map includes four maps on one sheet for different areas of Washington: (A) western and northern margin of the Olympic Peninsula; (B) a belt extending across the Puget Sound Basin into the Cascade Mountains; (C) the Quimper Peninsula; and (D) the Cathcart Cherry Valley region. The maps were prepared by Charles E. Weaver.
- Folder-Item 3.8: Geologic Environment Map of Alumina Resources of the Columbia Basin, 1952 Add to Shelf
- By E.G. Sohn.
- Folder-Item 3.9: Tectonic Structure of the Main Part of the Basalt of the Columbia River Group, Washington, Oregon, and Idaho, 1970 Add to Shelf
- Prepared by R.C. Newcomb and published by the U.S. Geological Survey as map I-587 in the Miscellaneous Geological Investigations series.
- Folder-Item 3.10: Earthquakes in Washington and Oregon 1872-1993, 1994 Add to Shelf
- By Susan K. Goter. Published as USGS Open File Report 94-226A.
- Series 4: Hydroelectric and Power Maps, 1948-1983 Add to Shelf
- Series IV consists of maps that provide information on proposed and existing hydroelectric projects in the Columbia River Basin. These maps include information on how the projects have affected the Columbia River and its tributaries. The series also includes maps depicting the service area of public and private electrical utilities and transmission of power across the northwest. The maps depict existing dams, proposed dams, and electrical transmission lines as well irrigation projects and canals. The maps of individual dams also include text about the dam and photographs. The maps were prepared by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; U.S. Bureau of Reclamation; U.S. Federal Power Commission; the Bonneville Power Administration, and the Inland Empire Waterways Association.
- Extent: 27 maps
- Folder-Item 4.1: Comprehensive Development Plan for the Columbia River Basin, 1948 Add to Shelf
- Folder-Item 4.2: Multiple Purpose Projects in the Columbia River Basin, 1958 Add to Shelf
- Folder-Item 4.3: Columbia Basin Project, 1951 Add to Shelf
- Folder-Item 4.4: Columbia River Power System, 1948 Add to Shelf
- Folder-Item 4.5: The Mighty Columbia, 1971 Add to Shelf
- Folder-Item 4.6: Hydroelectric Projects for the Pacific Northwest, 1948 Add to Shelf
- Folder-Item 4.7: Proposed Columbia Basin Development, 1948 Add to Shelf
- Includes maps and profiles for hydroelectric projects.
- Folder-Item 4.8: Columbia River Basin Comprehensive Plan of Major Dams, 1948 Add to Shelf
- Folder-Item 4.9: Basin Map for Major Dam and Reservoir Development, 1958-1966 Add to Shelf
- Extent: 3 sheets
- Folder-Item 4.10: Bonneville Dam, 1965-1966 Add to Shelf
- Extent: 2 sheets
- Folder-Item 4.11: The Dalles Dam, 1966-1970 Add to Shelf
- Extent: 2 sheets
- Folder-Item 4.12: John Day Dam, 1965-1970 Add to Shelf
- Extent: 2 sheets
- Folder-Item 4.13: McNary Dam, 1959-1966 Add to Shelf
- Extent: 2 sheets
- Folder-Item 4.14: Willamette Falls Locks, 1970 Add to Shelf
- Folder-Item 4.15: Service Areas: Operating Public Agencies and Co-operations, 1983 Add to Shelf
- Shows service areas of invester-owned utilities.
- Extent: 2 sheets
- Folder-Item 4.16: Electric Power Plants, 1963 Add to Shelf
- Extent: 2 sheets
- Folder-Item 4.17: BPA Areas and Transmission Facilities, 1959 Add to Shelf
- Folder-Item 4.18: Pacific Northwest Transmission System, 1958 Add to Shelf
- Folder-Item 4.19: Principal Electric Facilities - Washington, 1948 Add to Shelf
- Series 5: Superseded Topographic Maps, 1909-1965 Add to Shelf
- Series V consists of superseded or obsolete topographic maps published by the U.S. Geological Survey for various locations in Washington. Most of the maps are 15 minute quadrangles (1:62,500 scale). The maps depict topography; vegetation cover; rivers and lakes; roads, railroads, and other transportation; political boundaries; and the boundaries of national forests and parks. Many of these maps are of peaks in the Cascade Range or Olympic Mountains and depict the extent of glaciers in those mountain ranges. Also of note are the Mount St. Helens and Spirit Lake sheets which show that area before the catastrophic 1980 volcanic eruption. A 1909 Seattle map is also included in the series. The Portland and Bridal Veil sheets include both Oregon and Washington.
- Extent: 19 maps
- Box-Folder 2.2 Add to Shelf
- Item 1: Bridal Veil, 1954 Add to Shelf
- Extent: 2 sheets
- Item 2: Camas, 1942-1954 Add to Shelf
- Extent: 2 sheets
- Item 3: Chiwaukum Mountains, 1965 Add to Shelf
- Item 4: Glacier Peak, 1950 Add to Shelf
- Item 5: Kalama, 1943 Add to Shelf
- Extent: 2 sheets
- Item 6: Mount Baker, 1915-1942 Add to Shelf
- These maps are at a 1:125,000 scale.
- Extent: 2 sheets
- Item 7: Mount Olympus, 1935-1956 Add to Shelf
- Extent: 2 sheets
- Item 8: Mount Shuksan, 1953 Add to Shelf
- Item 9: Mount St. Helens, 1958 Add to Shelf
- Extent: 2 sheets
- Item 10: Mount Tom, 1957 Add to Shelf
- Item 11: Portland, 1961 Add to Shelf
- Item 12: Seattle Special, 1909 Add to Shelf
- Item 13: Spirit Lake, 1957 Add to Shelf
- Series 6: State of Washington Maps, 1909-1962 Add to Shelf
- Series VI consists of various maps of Washington; most are of the entire state. They include highway maps and base maps as well as maps depicting public lands and irrigated lands. The maps were produced by the U.S. Geological Survey, Census Bureau, and Forest Service as well as the State of Washington.
- Extent: 13 maps
- Folder-Item 5.1: State of Washington, General Land Office, 1909-1924 Add to Shelf
- Scale 1 inch = 12 miles. Compiled from the official records of the General Land Office; shows U.S. Reclamation Projects; national forests, parks, and game preserves; and Indian and military reserves. 1909 and 1924 editions; 1909 edition is encapsulated.
- Extent: 2 sheets
- Folder-Item 5.2: Map of Automobile Roads, State of Washington, 1924-1925 Add to Shelf
- Prepared by U.S. Forest Service; depict paved, gravel, secondary, and proposed roads; descriptive travel information on verso. Scale 1 inch = 10 miles.
- Extent: 2 sheets
- Folder-Item 5.3: Highways, State of Washington, 1937 Add to Shelf
- Prepared by State of Washington Department of Highways. Scale 1 inch = 10 miles. Includes travel information.
- Folder-Item 5.4: Washington base map, 1918 Add to Shelf
- Prepared by U.S. Geological Survey; this copy is a reprint made in 1944. Scale 1:1,000,000.
- Folder-Item 5.5: State of Washington base map with highways and contours, 1962 Add to Shelf
- Produced by U.S. Geological Survey; scale 1:500,000.
- Extent: 2 maps
- Folder-Item 5.6: Base maps for western Washington, 1933 Add to Shelf
- Produced by the U.S. Forest; separate sheets for northwest and southwest quadrants. Scale 1 inch = 4 miles. Indicate state exchange areas.
- Extent: 2 maps
- Folder-Item 5.7: Industrial Map of the State of Washington, circa 1949 Add to Shelf
- Prepared by Washington State Secretary of State; a pictorial map with no scale indicated.
- Folder-Item 5.8: Washington: Location of Irrigated Lands in 1949, circa 1953 Add to Shelf
- Prepared by U.S. Bureau of the Census. Depicts acreage of irrigated land reported in each county. Scale 1 inch = 10 miles.
- Box-Item 8.1: Cram's Superior Map of Washington, 1954 Add to Shelf
- Published by George F. Cram Company, edition no. 1517. Scale 1 inch = 9 miles (1:570,240). Depicts county boundaries in color; roads; and cities and towns. Includes an index of cities and towns with populations and inset maps of Washington trunk highways and Congressional districts in Washington.
- Series 7: Pacific Northwest Maps, 1863-1975 Add to Shelf
- Series VII consists of historic maps of the Pacific Northwest region. The maps depict Oregon and Washington or, in some cases, a broader area that includes California or Idaho and Montana. The maps depict railroads, highways, landforms, and land use. Several of the maps depict the Columbia Basin; one map of Puget Sound is also included. Several reproductions of mid-19th century manuscript maps are included.
- Extent: 32 maps
- Folder-Item 6.1: Engineers Official Map of the Pacific Northwest, circa 1930 Add to Shelf
- Published by W. Campbell Judge; compiled by W. Elliott Judge. Depicts Oregon, Washington Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming and shows highways and railroads.
- Folder-Item 7.3: Physical and Political Pacific Northwest, 1942 Add to Shelf
- This color map was published for classroom use and depicts political boundaries as well as natural vegetation, annual rainfall, and population distribution for the northwest. The map includes Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and western Montana. Edited by Howard H. Martin, University of Washington, and Otis W. Freeman, Eastern Washington College of Education. Published as part of the Denoyer-Geppert Physical-Political Series. Scale 1:1,200,000.
- Box-Item 8.2: Visual Relief Pacific Northwest, 1964 Add to Shelf
- Denoyer-Geppert Series Map S165vr. Edited by J. Granville Jenson, Oregon State University; John C. Sherman, University of Washington was the consultant for Washington and Harry H. Caldwell, University of Idaho, for Idaho. Scale 1:665,280; color.
- Folder-Item 6.2: Landforms of the Northwestern States, 1941-1965 Add to Shelf
- By Erwin Raisz; depicts Oregon, Washington, Idaho, western Montana. Includes 1941 and 1965 (3rd revised) edition.
- Extent: 6 maps
- Folder-Item 9.1: Oregon-Washington Railroad & Navigation Co. Map of the Pacific Northwest, 1911 Add to Shelf
- Depicts Oregon-Washington Railroad & Navigation Company existing and proposed rail lines; river steamboat lines; and other railroads. Carey irrigation projects and Reclamation Act project are also depicted on the map. The map is in poor condition and housed in a roll storage container. Use caution and care in handling the map.
- Folder-Item 6.3: A New Map of Texas, Oregon, and California, circa 1975 Add to Shelf
- This is a reproduction of the original 1846 map. The reproduction was printed for the Tillamook County Pioneer Museum.
- Folder-Item 6.4: Outline Map of Oregon and Washington Counties, undated Add to Shelf
- Folder-Item 6.5: Map Showing Routes of Snake Country Expeditions - 1824-25 and 1825-26, 1950 Add to Shelf
- Drawn by Ralph M. Shane, Warm Springs, Oregon. Depicts the area that now comprise Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. This is a photocopy.
- Folder-Item 6.6: Activity Centers and Soil Conservation Districts, Pacific Region, 1951 Add to Shelf
- Prepared by U.S. Soil Conservation Service.
- Folder-Item 6.7: Area Organization and Soil Conservation Districts, Pacific Region, 1953 Add to Shelf
- Prepared by U.S. Soil Conservation Service.
- Folder-Item 7.4: Seasonal Use of Western Range, 1958 Add to Shelf
- Includes all of the western United States; hand-colored.
- Folder-Item 6.8: Range Sheep - Major Seasonal Movements in Intermountain Region 1938-1939, circa 1939 Add to Shelf
- Prepared by U.S. Department of Agriculture Bureau of Agricultural Economics from the records of the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Grazing Service. Color map.
- Folder-Item 6.9: A pictorial map of Oregon and Washington, showing agricultural products and industries, 1940 Add to Shelf
- Prepared by A. Petruccilli and published to accompany March 1940 issue of Fortune Magazine; no scale.
- Folder-Item 6.10: Oregon Country, 1959 Add to Shelf
- Pictorial map prepared by the Oregon Historical Society, probably to commemorate the Oregon centennial; no scale.
- Folder-Item 6.11: Map of the Pacific Highway, 1915 Add to Shelf
- Produced by the National Highways Association; depicts the highway in Washington, Oregon, and California.
- Folder-Item 6.12: Map of the Oregon Coast and Redwood Highway, 1928 Add to Shelf
- Tourist map and brochure.
- Folder-Item 6.13: Air View of the Columbia River Scenic Route, 1916 Add to Shelf
- A pictorial relief map published by the Spokane, Portland, and Seattle Railway Company.
- Folder-Item 6.14: A Map by the Gentleman Fur Trader Alexander Ross, 1974 Add to Shelf
- This is a reproduction of the 1849 manuscript map of the Columbia Basin.
- Folder-Item 6.15: Columbia River Basin and Vicinity, 1927 Add to Shelf
- This map ranges from British Columbia to California and from the Pacific Coast to Wyoming. Published by Port of Portland Commission.
- Folder-Item 6.16: Mouth of the Columbia River, 1863 Add to Shelf
- This is a reproduction of the original map.
- Folder-Item 6.17: New Map of the Puget Sound Country, 1903 Add to Shelf
- Prepared by Bellingham Bay Abstract and Title Insurance Company. Fifth revised edition; shows the Puget Sound area from Olympia to the Canadian border. This copy is a facsimile color reproduction of the 1903 map.
- Folder-Item 6.18: World Aeronautical Chart of the Columbia River Area, 1957 Add to Shelf
- This map includes areas of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho.
- Folder-Item 6.19: World Aeronautical Chart of Crater Lake Area, 1960 Add to Shelf
- This map includes areas of Oregon, California, Idaho, and Nevada.
- Folder-Item 6.20: Topographic Map of the Cascade Range, 1951 Add to Shelf
- This map includes areas of Washington and Oregon; scale 1:1,000,000.
- Folder-Item 6.21: Map of the Owyhee River Area, 1959 Add to Shelf
- This map includes areas of Oregon, California, Idaho, Utah, and Nevada; scale 1:1,000,000.
- Folder-Item 6.22: Map of the Snake River Area, 1960 Add to Shelf
- This map includes areas of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana; scale 1:1,000,000.
- Folder-Item 6.23: Interim Topographic Map of Mount Baker, 1975 Add to Shelf
- Depicts extent of glaciers on Mt. Baker; scale 1:24,000.