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1949 Map of Fort Wilkins

Name: 1949 Topographic Map of Fort Wilkins
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1949
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1949

About this map

Copper Harbor and the surrounding wilderness of the Keweenaw Peninsula are captured here just before the mid-century, dominated by the waters of Lake Superior. The map centers on the historic grounds of Old Fort Wilkins within the Fort Wilkins State Park, situated on the narrow strip of land between the harbor and Lake Fanny Hooe. This landscape is a record of the region's mining heritage and natural geography, featuring the Copper Harbor Lighthouse guarding the rocky coast and an abandoned Copper Mine further inland.

The terrain is defined by dramatic elevation changes, notably the ridge of East Bluff which overlooks a network of interior waters like Mud Lake, Copper Lake, and the remote Hoar Lake. To the south, the shoreline transitions into Keystone Bay and Big Bay, with drainage provided by the Montreal River and Copper Creek. This survey provides a precise look at the rugged northern tip of Michigan before modern development altered its primitive character.