1953 Map of Ashland

About this map

Chequamegon Bay and the industrial waterfront of Ashland anchor this mid-century look at the South Shore of Lake Superior. The landscape is defined by vast public and tribal lands, including the Bad River Indian Reservation and the sprawling reaches of the Chequamegon National Forest. To the north, the Apostle Islands archipelago, featuring Stockton Island and Madeline Island, stretches into the open water. The regional economy of the 1950s is etched into the map through the rail corridors of the Chicago and North Western and the Soo Line, which connected the iron ranges of Ironwood and Hurley to the port. From the small fishing villages of Cornucopia and Herbster to the expansive Turtle-Flambeau Flowage, this survey documents a northern wilderness transitioning from its mining and timber peaks toward a permanent recreation and conservation landscape.