1965 Map of Bear Island

About this map

Bear Island Lake and its prominent central island anchor this mid-1960s survey of the Minnesota wilderness north of the Iron Range. The landscape is a dense network of water and timber, primarily managed within the Bear Island State Forest and the Superior National Forest. While the area is largely characterized by its glacial lakes like Mitchell Lake and One Pine Lake, signs of small-scale industry and seasonal habitation appear at Rothman and various Sandpits along the riverbanks. The mapping includes underwater depth curves for major bodies of water, including the Birch Lake reservoir. This specific era shows the region before modern expansion, when transit relied on unimproved roads and the winding course of the Beaver River.