1958 Map of Duluth

About this map

The industrial and transportation hub of Duluth and Superior anchors this mid-century survey of the western tip of Lake Superior. The landscape reflects a complex network of rail and river routes, with the Great Northern and Soo Line railroads threading through the timberlands and wetlands of northern Minnesota and Wisconsin. To the west, the massive expanse of Mille Lacs Lake and the Mille Lacs Indian Reservation contrast with the rugged logging and iron ore country further north and east. The map captures an era when river-town economies like Sandstone and Hinckley were deeply integrated with the surrounding forests, preserved in large tracts such as the Savanna State Forest and the Rice Lake National Wildlife Refuge. The confluence of the Mississippi River and the St Louis River watersheds highlights the geographic significance of this region as a crossroads for continental trade and wildlife conservation.