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1968 Map of Birchdale

Name: 1968 Topographic Map of Birchdale
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1970
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1970

About this map

The Rainy River forms the international boundary between Minnesota and Ontario, serving as the central axis of this late-1960s survey. The small settlement of Birchdale anchors the southern bank, where the Birchdale Cem and Birchdale Lookout Tower stand as local landmarks. The river's character is defined by the Long Sault Rapids, a notable white-water feature situated just upstream from where the Sturgeon River joins the main flow from the south.

Industry and transport are represented by the Canadian National rail line, which cuts a straight path across the terrain north of the river, passing the siding at Manders. The landscape transitions from agricultural clearings near the river to more wooded areas to the north, including the remote settlement of Shenston. This survey documents a critical border crossing and river-oriented community before modern developments altered the character of the Koochiching County riverfront.