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1970 Map of Eagle River West

Name: 1970 Topographic Map of Eagle River West
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1982
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1982

About this map

Watersmeet Lake and the winding Wisconsin River dominate this pocket of the Northwoods, where water and forest define the landscape of the 1970s. The regional hub of Eagle River appears on the eastern edge of the sheet, served by the Chicago and North Western railroad and the Eagle River Union Airport. Hydroelectric infrastructure is evident at the Otter Rapids Dam and its associated Powerhouse, which harnessed the river's flow downstream from the larger lakes.

Glacial activity left behind a dense network of water bodies, including Boot Lake, Rice Lake, and Muskellunge Lake, many of which were integrated into the Northern Highland American Legion State Forest. The map documents a transition from wild timberlands to a recreation-based economy, shown through numerous boat ramps and the local Fairground, while still retaining earlier traces of settlement like the Landing Field and several rural roads including Zeman Road.