1956 Map of Belle Prairie NW

About this map

Fort Ripley Military Reservation and Camp Ripley Military Reservation dominate this section of central Minnesota, where the landscape is defined by the sharp bend of the Mississippi River. This mid-century survey illustrates the intense concentration of glacial lakes and wetlands west of the river, including Lake Alexander, Fosdick Lake, and the cluster around Lake Ericson. Local governance and education are marked by the Town Hall and School No 47, while a Lookout Tower stands watch over the dense woods of the reservation territory. The road network within the military zones features distinctive names such as Ledo Road, Normandy Road, and Gettysburg Road, reflecting a landscape dedicated to training and maneuvers. Waterways like Broken Bow Creek and Muskrat Lake provide natural drainage toward the Mississippi, where Pipe Island sits near the eastern boundary.