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1955 Map of Bessemer

Name: 1955 Topographic Map of Bessemer
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1977
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1977

About this map

Bessemer sits at the heart of the Gogebic Range, where a dense network of iron mining operations defined the mid-century landscape. This survey reveals the intense industrial footprint of the era, from the massive Old Colby Mine and Old Tilden Mine near the city center to the sprawling Mine Dumps at Anvil and Ramsay. The transportation infrastructure, including the Chicago And North Western and Minneapolis Sault Ste Marie railroads, illustrates how ore moved from deep-shaft sites like the Geneva Mine and Newport Mine toward regional markets.

Beyond the heavy industry, the map documents the community life of mining families through local institutions like Washington Sch, Johnston Sch, and Massie Field. The southern portion of the sheet shifts toward a more rural character, drained by the Black River and Palms Cr, where an Old Railroad Grade cuts through the woods toward McDonald Lake. This layout provides a clear view of how the residential and civic spaces of Yale and Bessemer were physically bounded by the very earthworks that sustained their economy.