1931 Map of Custer SE

About this map

South Branch Pere Marquette River meanders through this section of Western Michigan, cutting through a landscape defined by its rural schoolhouses and marshy wetlands in the early 1930s. The map captures a moment when the intersection of Mason, Lake, Oceana, and Newaygo counties was dotted with local institutions like Ruby Sch, Lockes Sch, and Waddell Sch. These small rural schools served the surrounding farmsteads located near Carr Creek and the headwaters of Ruby Creek. The terrain is characterized by numerous small bodies of water and wetlands, including School Section Lake, Augustine Lake, and the aptly named Darkeys Marsh. The detailed surveying by the Geological Survey Division reflects the remote character of Colfax and Logan townships before modern infrastructure reshaped the local drainage and road networks.