1985 Map of Fairport

About this map

Fairport sits at the southern tip of the Garden Peninsula, serving as the gateway to a chain of islands that separate Lake Michigan from Green Bay. In the mid-1980s, this area remained largely dominated by the Lake Superior State Forest, which covers significant portions of Summer Island and Poverty Island. The map details the intricate maritime environment of the Poverty Island Passage, a critical waterway for vessels navigating the upper Great Lakes. Further south, smaller landforms like Gull Island and Little Gull Island mark the boundary of Fairbanks Township. Along the eastern shore of Summer Island, Summer Harbor provides a sheltered cove protected by a Navigation Light, reflecting the long-standing reliance on maritime aids for local shipping and fishing safety in these unpredictable waters.