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1952 Map of Keewatin

Name: 1952 Topographic Map of Keewatin
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1954
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1954

About this map

Iron ore extraction dominates the landscape around Keewatin and Kelly Lake during this mid-century period. The map reveals an industrial geography defined by massive open-pit operations and their supporting infrastructure, including the Stevenson Mine, Bennett Mine, and the Mississippi No 1 Mine. The intricate network of heavy rail, including the Great Northern and the Mesabi Chief Mine RR, underscores the era's reliance on fixed transport for hauling ore from the Mesabi Range.

Beyond the industrial pits, the natural drainage of the Swan River and West Swan River persists alongside man-made Tailings Ponds and vast Mine Dumps. While Keewatin serves as a primary residential hub with a noted Sewage Disposal plant, the map also captures smaller mining settlements like the Stuntz area and numerous smaller shafts such as the Carlz Mine and Sargent Mine, illustrating the intense density of the mining economy in Itasca County.