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1908 Map of Fowlerville

Name: 1908 Topographic Map of Fowlerville
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1969
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1969

About this map

The Pere Marquette railroad anchors the landscape of central Michigan in this early twentieth-century survey, linking the growing hubs of Webberville and Fowlerville. This region, split between Ingham and Livingston counties, reveals a dense network of rural schoolhouses spaced almost every two miles, serving the agricultural townships of Locke, Conway, Leroy, and Handy. These small institutions, such as Podunk School, Sixteen School, and Rowley School, reflect the decentralized education system before the era of district consolidation.

The topography is defined by the winding paths of the Cedar River and its numerous tributaries, including Wolf Creek and Kalamink Creek. In the south, the terrain becomes more varied with numerous water bodies like Sandybottom Lake and Wasson Lake, while small crossroads communities such as Belle Oak and Parker Corners provide insight into the early commercial centers of the region. The map captures the transition of the local economy as the Detroit and Grand Rapids Line established permanent transportation corridors through the wetlands and woodlots of the interior.