1931 Map of Bangor

About this map

The Pere Marquette railroad anchors the interior of this Southwest Michigan landscape, connecting agricultural hubs like Bangor and Grand Junction. This early 20th-century survey reveals a dense network of rural infrastructure, from the lakeside retreats at Glenn Shores to the numerous neighborhood schoolhouses such as Garden of Eden Sch and Evergreen Glade Sch. The land is defined by its transition from the Lake Michigan shoreline in the west to the lake-studded interior of Columbia and Bangor townships. Inland, water bodies like Saddle Lake and Lester Lake are surrounded by a tapestry of small settlements and places of worship, including the curiously named Gingerbread Ch. The placement of Coburn Cem and various family-named landmarks such as Chambers Corner provides critical data for genealogists tracing the early development of Allegan and Van Buren counties before modern highway expansion.