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1971 Map of Balsam Lake

Name: 1971 Topographic Map of Balsam Lake
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1973
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1973

About this map

George Washington State Forest and the Chippewa National Forest meet in this 1971 orthophotomap of the Balsam Lake region in Itasca County. The landscape is a dense network of glacial lakes and wetlands, including distinct bodies such as Eagle Lake, Whiskey Lake, and Bluebill Lake. Unlike traditional line maps, this orthophoto uses aerial imagery to show the actual forest canopy and vegetation density surrounding the water, providing an accurate view of the shoreline as it existed in the early 1970s.

Local history is anchored by the Balsam Chapel and the nearby Balsam Cem located just west of the main lake body. Small clearings like Wick Prairie and named features such as the White Porky Lakes and Gunny Sack Lake suggest a landscape defined by logging history and seasonal recreation. The map meticulously records the transition between national and state jurisdictions along the National Forest Bdy and State Forest Boundary.