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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

Island Falls serves as a primary hub for this interior Maine landscape, where the Bangor and Aroostook RR meets the West Branch of the Mattawamkeag River. Surveyed just before the United States entered World War II, the map reveals a rural network of small school districts and family-named corners that defined local life in the mid-twentieth century. Educational landmarks like Patten Academy and various rural schoolhouses, including Allsbury Sch and Rockabema Sch, are distributed across the townships of Hersey and Crystal.

The terrain is defined by prominent peaks such as Mount Chase and Pickett Mtn, interspersed with numerous glacial features like Rockabema Lake and Wadleigh Bog. Logging and milling history is evident at Jackson Sluice and the Mill near Bradford Pond. This survey captures the transition from isolated woodlots to more connected settlements, marked by the emergence of the Scenic Highway passing through Knowles Corner.