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1959 Map of Hart

Name: 1959 Topographic Map of Hart
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1961
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1961

About this map

Lake Michigan dominates the western edge of this 1959 survey, where the moving dunes of Little Point Sable and the recreational waters of Silver Lake State Park meet the shoreline. Inland, the landscape transition from the Pere Marquette State Forest in the north to the Manistee National Forest in the southeast is punctuated by a dense network of agriculture and rural institutions. The Chesapeake and Ohio railroad corridor serves as the primary spine for development, linking the established hubs of Hart, Shelby, and New Era.

Genealogists will find a wealth of local landmarks, including the Oceana Center Cemetery and a high concentration of country schools such as Blooming Valley School and Cranston School. The presence of the Hart-Shelby Landing Field and numerous rural churches like St Stephens Church reflects the post-war community structure of Oceana County before modern highway expansion further altered the agrarian character of the region.