1970 Map of Deer Lake NW

About this map

Koochiching State Forest dominates this northern Minnesota landscape, captured during a 1970 survey. This orthophotomap provides a rare hybrid view of the region, overlaying topographic data onto high-altitude aerial photography taken in 1969. The imagery reveals the dense vegetation and wetland patterns surrounding Myrtle Lake and the smaller Shine Lake to the south. Human activity in this timber-heavy environment is evidenced by a network of seasonal routes, including the Winter Trail and the Holstrum Spur. The southern portion of the map transitions into the George Washington State Forest, where a Lookout Tower stands as a focal point for forestry management and fire watch. This specific format highlights the exact timber stands and clearings as they existed just before the turn of the decade, providing an unusually clear record of the forest's composition.