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1940 Map of Island Falls

Name: 1940 Topographic Map of Island Falls
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1971
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1971

About this map

The West Branch Mattawamkeag River and its sister, the East Branch Mattawamkeag River, carve through this section of Aroostook County, anchoring a landscape defined by timber and early Maine settlement. Surveyed in 1940, the map illustrates the local infrastructure before modern developments, highlighting a network of remote schools such as Rockabema Sch and Stevens Sch that served the dispersed communities of Merrill and Hersey.

In the southern reaches, the established towns of Island Falls and Patten provide a sharper focus on local heritage, featuring landmarks like the Patten Academy and Belyedere Ch. Significant topography, including the heights of Mount Chase and Pickett Mtn, dominates the western side, while numerous smaller water bodies like Rockabema Lake and Crystal Lake suggest the region's importance to early local industry and sporting life. Historical markers like Jackson Sluice point to the river-driven economy of the era.