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1954 Map of Gay

Name: 1954 Topographic Map of Gay
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1972
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1972

About this map

Industrial activity along the Keweenaw Peninsula shoreline is the defining characteristic of this 1950s survey. The settlement of Gay stands at the northern edge, dominated by a large field of Tailings extending into Lake Superior, evidence of the copper processing that fueled the local economy. This legacy is further noted by the presence of the Copper Range traversing the inland terrain. South of the town, the shoreline transitions to the protected waters of Grand Traverse Bay and the wooded lands of Schoolcraft State Lake.

The map records the transition across the Keweenaw Co Houghton Co boundary, following the coast past Traverse Point toward Louis Point. Waterways like the Tobacco River and Traverse River drain the township of Sherman, where old trails like Snowshoe cut through the forest. The small lakeside community of Traverse Bay provides a look at the modest residential footprint existing alongside the massive scale of the region's mining infrastructure.