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1962 Map of Grand Rapids

Name: 1962 Topographic Map of Grand Rapids
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1962
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1962

About this map

The Grand River and Kalamazoo River anchor this mid-century portrait of West and Central Michigan, capturing the state's industrial and agricultural heartland during a period of significant post-war infrastructure growth. Major urban centers including Grand Rapids, Lansing, and Kalamazoo are shown as they began to expand outward along newly established corridors like I-96 and I-94. The map reveals the dense network of the Chesapeake and Ohio RR and New York Central RR lines that still served the region's manufacturing hubs and small towns like Lake Odessa and Charlotte.

Beyond the cities, the landscape is defined by extensive state-managed lands and natural features. Significant conservation areas such as Allegan State Forest and the Rose Lake Wildlife Experiment Station are clearly delineated, alongside recreational landmarks like Gun Lake and Gull Lake. The presence of the Fort Custer Military Reservation between Battle Creek and Kalamazoo highlights the region's strategic importance, while dozens of smaller lakes and river valleys illustrate the complex glacial topography of the Thornapple River Valley and Looking Glass River Valley.