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1983 Map of Empire Swamp

Name: 1983 Topographic Map of Empire Swamp
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1983
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1983

About this map

Empire Swamp dominates this northern Wisconsin landscape at the intersection of Summit, Gordon, and Dairyland townships. The map documents a territory defined by its dense hydrology, where Upper Tamarack River and Crotte Creek thread through marshy lowlands. High points are few, notably marked by the Summit Lookout Tower, which served as a primary vantage point for fire detection across the surrounding timberlands.

Transport and access are characterized by primitive routes and vestiges of earlier industrial eras. An Old Railroad Grade cuts through the western section of the swamp, likely a relic of the region's logging history. These historical traces, along with the Jackson Box Trail and Wilderness Road, provide a clear picture of how this remote area was navigated for resource extraction and land management before more modern infrastructure arrived.