Archives West Finding Aid

The Planimetric Maps of Oregon and Washington consist of 60 detailed maps of the Columbia and Willamette Rivers and nearby towns and landscape features immediately following World War II. Coverage of the maps in this collection is centered on Portland and extends on the Willamette River from Oregon City north to the confluence with the Columbia River and on the Columbia River from St. Helens (Oregon) to Camas (Washington). The maps are at 1:9,600 scale. The collection includes sheets with the following names: Camas (6 sheets); Hillsboro (9 sheets); LaCenter (3 sheets); Oregon City (14 sheets); Portland (18 sheets); St. Helens (8 sheets); and Tualatin (2 sheets). An index map (made at a later time) showing the location of all the sheets is also included.

The maps depict water features and land cover, including rivers, lakes, sloughs, marshes, wetlands, islands, and forested areas. Streets, roads and highways as well as railroads, bridges, airports, and shipping terminals are shown on the maps. Parks and wildlife refuges are included. Structures such as schools and churches; mills and factories; and industrial sites, gravel pits, and oil tanks are also depicted. The extent and claimants for land claims are shown on the maps.