1956 Map of Cotton

About this map

The Whiteface River and its tributary, the Paleface River, wind through a landscape of dense timber and wetlands in this mid-century survey of St. Louis County. Much of the eastern terrain falls within the Cloquet Valley State Forest, where numerous glacial lakes such as Strand Lake, Dinham Lake, and Kauppi Lake are interspersed with low-lying marshland. The settlement pattern is concentrated along the Duluth Winnipeg and Pacific railroad line, which bisects the quadrangle from north to south, connecting the small communities of Cotton and Melrude. Local landmarks like County Sch No 100 and Riverview Cem suggest a small but established rural community centered on the crossroads and the rail corridor. The map effectively documents the region's transition from a wild forest and river system to a managed landscape of timber reserves and small-scale rail-side settlements.