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1981 Map of Branch Lake

Name: 1981 Topographic Map of Branch Lake
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1982
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1982

About this map

Branch Lake dominates this 1981 survey of the Maine landscape, showing a complex network of waterways and islands including Twentyeight Acre Island and Calf Island. The map illustrates the region's transport and industrial roots, following the Maine Central railroad line through North Ellsworth and past Nicolin Siding. The distribution of Gravel Pits and family-named landmarks like Flying Moose Mtn and Flag Hill speaks to a rural economy balanced between natural resource extraction and the development of lakeside settlements.

Genealogists and local historians can find significant detail in the placement of small rural burial grounds such as Birch Grove Cem and Hillside Cem. The map captures the interface of three towns—Orland, Ellsworth, and Surry—along the shores of Upper Patten Pond and Toddy Pond. This era shows the area as it transitioned into a recreational landscape, evidenced by the Campground near Mill Brook and Boy Scout Island in the south.