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1917 Map of Chesaning

Name: 1917 Topographic Map of Chesaning
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1917
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1917

About this map

The Shiawassee River snakes through the heart of this landscape, serving as the primary geographic anchor for the riverfront communities of Chesaning, Oakley, and Henderson. This 1917 survey reveals an intricate drainage network of man-made and natural waterways, such as Porter Creek and Gallagher Drain, which were essential for managing the agricultural lands of Saginaw and Shiawassee counties. The local economy is defined by its transit corridors, where the Michigan Central Railroad and Ann Arbor Railroad cross paths with the riverside settlements.

Evidence of early industrial and social life is scattered across the townships, from the Sixmile Mine near New Haven to a dense concentration of rural education centers like Dutchtown School and Forest Lawn School. Genealogists will find particular value in identifying specific family-named landmarks and the Griffus Cemetery, providing a precise look at the rural population distribution before modern suburban expansion.