1971 Map of Bena

About this map

The settlement of Bena serves as a small hub within the heavy timberlands of the Chippewa National Forest and Bowstring State Forest in the early 1970s. This orthophotomap, derived from 1969 aerial photography, reveals the complex aquatic landscape of north-central Minnesota, defined by the expansive northern shoreline of Leech Lake and the southern reaches of Lake Winnibigoshish. The Burlington Northern railroad corridor cuts a sharp horizontal line through the forest, passing through Bena and providing a stark contrast to the irregular shorelines of Sixmile Lake and Hole-in-bog Lake. Cultural landmarks including the Fairview Cem and a Lookout Tower near Boulder Hill indicate the human footprint on a landscape otherwise dominated by wetlands and water. The map also delineates the Leech Lake Indian Reservation Bdy, showing the intersection of jurisdictional lines with natural features like Drumbeater Creek.