1956 Map of Cotton

About this map

The Whiteface River snakes through this St. Louis County landscape, defining a region where water and rail dictate the patterns of human settlement. In the mid-1950s, the small community of Cotton serves as a central point along the highway, while further north, the hamlet of Melrude sits adjacent to the Duluth Winnipeg and Pacific railroad tracks. This line cuts a diagonal path through the Cloquet Valley and Ellsburg townships, connecting the iron range to the ports of Lake Superior. The terrain is a dense network of wetlands and glacial lakes, including Strand Lake, Dinham Lake, and Kauppi Lake. Local history is anchored by landmarks like County Sch No 100 and the Riverview Cem, reflecting the civic life of rural families in this wooded expanse of northern Minnesota.