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1952 Map of Bovey

Name: 1952 Topographic Map of Bovey
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1954
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1954

About this map

The industrial heart of the Mesabi Range is captured in this early 1950s survey, dominated by a massive network of open-pit extraction sites and heavy rail infrastructure. The interconnected settlements of Coleraine, Bovey, and Taconite are shown at their mid-century peak, bordered by sprawling operations like the Canisteo Mine and Morrison Mine. A defining characteristic of the landscape is the sheer volume of material movement, evidenced by numerous Tailings Ponds and vast Mine Dumps that reshape the natural topography between the Prairie River and the deep waters of Trout Lake.

Transportation is dictated by the needs of the ore industry, with the Duluth Missabe and Iron Range and Great Northern railroads threading through the mining pits. Local landmarks such as Lakeview Cem and the Holman Cliffs provide a sense of place amidst the industrial scale. To the west, smaller operations like the Jessie Mine and West Hill Mine sit near Lower Prairie Lake, illustrating how the iron formation dictated the growth of Itasca County towns.