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1950 Map of Battle Creek

Name: 1950 Topographic Map of Battle Creek
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1950
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1950

About this map

Battle Creek serves as the industrial and transportation hub of this postwar landscape, defined by the convergence of the Michigan Central and Grand Trunk railroads. The urban core is surrounded by a dense network of suburban developments and institutional landmarks, including the Percy Jones Hospital and Kellogg Air Base. Beyond the city limits, the terrain transition into a rural mosaic of small farming communities like Bellevue, Verona, and Ceresco.

Local education and community life are grounded in a high density of rural schoolhouses such as Red Brick Sch and Checkered Sch, many of which served established townships like Pennfield and Bedford. The area is also characterized by numerous glacial lakes, including Goguac Lake and St Marys Lake, which provide recreational focal points near the Kalamazoo River. This survey captures the region just as mid-century infrastructure, like the southern Pipe Line, began to overlay the traditional rail-and-river economy.