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1948 Map of Fort Wilkins

Name: 1948 Topographic Map of Fort Wilkins
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1976
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1976

About this map

Old Fort Wilkins stands as a prominent sentinel on this 1948 survey of the Keweenaw Peninsula, situated on the narrow strip of land between Copper Harbor and Lake Fanny Hooe. The map captures the rugged northern edge of Michigan where industrial history and wilderness meet, preserved within Fort Wilkins State Park. A notable marker of the region's mineral past is the Copper Mine (Abandoned) located south of the main settlement area, reflecting the boom-and-bust cycle of the Copper Country's early mining era.

The topography is dominated by the steep rise of East Bluff, which overlooks a landscape defined by drainage systems like Vulcan Creek and the Montreal River. To the south, the shoreline of Lake Superior gives way to isolated water bodies including Copper Lake, Hoar Lake, and Bay Lake, while the jagged coast is punctuated by Keystone Point and Fish Cove. This document provides a look at the region's mid-century state, combining 1940s field data with 1970s photorevisions to track changes in road access and forest cover.