1981 Map of Hagerman Lake

About this map

Nelma sits at the southern edge of this Michigan-Wisconsin borderlands survey, where the Brule River winds through the dense forests of the Upper Peninsula and northern Wisconsin. This 1981 record documents a landscape dominated by the Ottawa National Forest and Nicolet National Forest, revealing a network of water bodies including Hagerman Lake, Brule Lake, and Ottawa Lake. The presence of an Old Railroad Grade running north-south on the eastern side of the map provides evidence of earlier timber harvesting or industrial transport that once serviced this remote region. From the many smaller lakes like Lake Twentytwo and Gadwall Lake to the scattered gravel pits, the map illustrates the transition from active extraction to recreational use as seen at the Hagerman Lake Recreation Area.