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1962 Map of Allen

Name: 1962 Topographic Map of Allen
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1971
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1971

About this map

Erie Mine No 2 Pit and its sprawling tailings dumps dominate the northern landscape of this Iron Range study, illustrating the mid-century industrial expansion within the Superior National Forest. The map documents a complex infrastructure of heavy industry and transit, centered on the Erie Mining Company Railroad and the Duluth Missabe and Iron Range lines. These rail networks connect the mining operations with established and emerging settlements like Allen (Allen Junc Sta), Babbitt, and Hoyt Lakes.

Away from the excavations, the terrain is defined by the winding course of the Partridge River and the vast One Hundred Mile Swamp. Small pockets of local history are preserved in labels for MacDonald Camp and Niemi Camp, while natural landmarks like Moose Mountain and Cranberry Lake provide a counterpoint to the industrial activity. The 1969 photorevisions, shown in purple, capture the rapid growth of the mine pits and dump sites during a peak era of taconite production.