1957 Map of Copemish

About this map

The Manistee River and Betsie River define this mid-century landscape on the border of Manistee and Wexford counties. The village of Copemish serves as a central hub, where the Chesapeake and Ohio and Ann Arbor rail lines converge, reflecting the area's history as a transit corridor for timber and agriculture. The terrain transitions from the open timberlands of the Fife Lake State Forest to the managed waters of the Hodenpyl Dam Pond and Tippy Dam Pond. Local social life of the 1950s is anchored by rural institutions like the Marilla Ch and several township schools. An interesting genealogical detail is found at the Oak Grove Sch (Abandoned), a site that was already falling out of use by the time of this 1957 survey, illustrating the consolidation of rural Michigan school districts during this era.